Norma Ardyse Nosek

Norma Nosek, 93, of Wahpeton, passed away December 4, 2022, at her residence due to pancreatic cancer.  Her visitation will be Sunday, December 11, 2022, from 5-7 p.m. at Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton, ND, with prayer service to follow at 7 p.m.  Funeral Service will be 11 a.m. Monday, December 12, 2022, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Wahpeton, ND, with visitation one hour prior.  Burial to follow in Wheaton.  Pastor Tom Peterson will officiate.  

Norma Smith was born on July 13, 1929, to Cecil and Alvina (Lemke) Smith by Barry, MN.  She was baptized on August 24, 1930, and was confirmed at St. John’s in Wheaton, MN, on May 30, 1943.

Norma graduated from Wheaton High School in 1947.  She then enrolled in teacher training and graduated in 1948.  Her first teaching position was in a one room schoolhouse in Walls Township.

In 1951, she married Gerald Thiel, and they were blessed with two sons, Rodney, and Robert.  She was a member of the Walls Helping Hands Homemakers Club, a 4-H leader, and served three terms on the Wheaton School Board.  She was a strong advocate for the mentally disabled, and taught students with disabilities for two years at the Wheaton School.  In 1972, she was hired to be the first Learning Disability Specialist in North Dakota.  She worked for ten years as the Director of Learning Disabilities, and supervised all of the special education classrooms.

Norma continued her education at Moorhead State University, in Moorhead, MN.  By 1986 she had achieved her major in Elementary Education and Social Work, obtained her Masters in Elementary Education and Learning Disabilities, and her Specialist in Administration. 

Norma married Walter Nosek in 1975, and they moved to Wahpeton in 1977.  In 1982, the Wahpeton School District hired her as both Director of Special Education Curriculum, and Director of Education K-12 Curriculum.  Norma was instrumental in starting the technology program in Wahpeton.  She was the principal at Zimmerman School and wrote and obtained many grants for the school district.  Norma retired from the school system in 2010, at the age of 80.  She was inducted in the Wahpeton Hall of Fame in 2022. 

Norma joined the Rotary Club in 1986, as soon as women were allowed to join.  She served as president twice.  She had been active in American Association of University Women since 1977.  She served in every office, and as president for several years. 

Norma volunteered at the Bagg Bonanza Farm in the summers starting in 1997.  After she retired from the school system, she started volunteering full time there.  She did tours, lots of painting, cooking, and helping with special events.  She served on the board and acted as president.  After the barn was built, she was in charge of booking events, planning and cooking the meals.  She had a large garden at the Bagg Farm, and canned many jars of tomatoes, salsa, sauerkraut, beets, and pickles. 

Norma was very well known throughout the area for her passion and dedication to all of the organizations she was involved in.  She also loved gardening, flowers, playing cards, and being an active member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Wahpeton, ND.  She was a very special lady to so many people.

She is survived by her sons, Rodney (Theresa) and Robert (Gail) Thiel of Dumont, MN; grandchildren, Curt Thiel, Christa (Mitch) Findlay, Chelsey (Gavin) Young, Wheaton, MN, Jenny Thiel, Fargo, ND, Nicole (Patrick) Klugman, Billings, MT, Jamie (Ben) Duhn, Brainerd, MN; special grandson, Andrew Booke and family of Breckenridge; great-grandchildren, Aiden and Lydia Findlay, Olivia, Violet, and Ivy Young, Rowan and Cora Klugman, and Greyson Duhn.

Preceded her in death was her husband, Walter Nosek; parents, Cecil and Alvina Smith; and brothers, Elmer, Edwin, and Walter Smith.