Just shy of her 101st birthday, Norma Gangestad began her new life in glory on February 13, 2024.
Norma Elizabeth was born to Paul and Alvina (Carstens) Oldre on April 30, 1923. Her mother died shortly after birth and she was raised by Bertha Engebretson until the age of four when Paul married Mabel Tobiason. She grew up on the Oldre Century Farm by Kenneth. She graduated from Magnolia High School and married Harold Gangestad. From that union came eight children. Alone, Norma raised all eight of those children by working hard. She was employed by Campbell Soup Company and waited tables at most of the Luverne cafes.
She moved to Chandler, Arizona, at age 77. She truly loved the Arizona sun, watching her “hummers” from her own first home and finally resting.
In 2018 she moved to Desert Care in Chandler where she resided until death. Her caretakers, Maggie and Alan, loved her like family and she definitely was the “Queen Bee” of the facility. She continued to be “ornery as ever” and enjoyed her endless diet of chocolate and Mt. Dew to the very end.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, LeRoy Oldre and Glen Oldre, one sister, Edna Einck.
She is survived by her sister Mary Lou Baker (Denny); her eight children, Howard (Silvana), Janice Wange (Owen, deceased), David (Randa), Alive VanderGrift (Bob, deceased), Delbert (Laurie), Dallas (Maria), Rebecca Keller (Robert), Dale; 18 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and her brand new first great-great-grandchild.
A celebration of Norma’s life will be held in Luverne this summer with date and details yet to be determined. Announcement in this paper prior to the celebration.
Memorials are preferred to Luverne Dollars for Scholars to Norma Gangestad Scholarship Fund.