Norma (Jordahl) Anderson

Norma J. Anderson of Fargo, ND, died after a brief illness on the morning of Christmas Eve.

Norma was born Norma Hildegarde Jordahl on April 20, 1934 in Rugby, ND, to Rev. Oscar and Mrs. Hildegarde (Moe) Jordahl, the third of five siblings. She was baptized May 13, 1934 at First Lutheran Church in Granville, ND. She attended grade school in Nome, ND, and high school in Finley, ND, graduating in 1952. She played in the high school band and was active in music.

She enrolled at Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, in the fall of 1952 and graduated with honors in 1956 with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree, majoring in English. While at Concordia, she continued to pursue her love of music, singing in a women’s vocal trio and chapel choir. Norma and her husband, Elmo Anderson, met while both were students at Concordia and the courtship continued while Norma was a parish worker at Calvary Lutheran in Golden Valley, MN, and Elmo studied at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. They were married January 13, 1957 at Finley Lutheran Church by her father.

Norma and Elmo spent a year in Chicago, IL, at Bethel Lutheran Church, where Elmo did his internship, and their son Joel was born. They then served in parishes in Doyon and Crary, ND (1959-1963), Maddock, ND (1963-1971), and Peace Lutheran Church, Fargo, ND (1971-1990). Through these years, Beth, Robert and Ted were born. Norma was an active homemaker and church member, directed and participated in church choirs, led bible studies, taught high school English, and worked at the University Lutheran Center in Fargo. She served as a visitation lay minister at Faith Lutheran in West Fargo, ND. She continued this ministry at Trinity Lutheran in Moorhead, MN, which was their church home after Elmo’s retirement from Peace.

Faith, family, friends, music, and literature were essential parts of Norma’s life. Her faith and church community provided her strength, solace, and joy. In addition to choir, she often appeared as a soloist for church functions. She maintained close and lasting friendships throughout her life, from childhood and college friends to a circle of women from Peace Lutheran that met weekly for decades. Fargo was a crossroads for her and Elmo, where friends from all parts of their lives and extended family often dropped in for a visit. She had a deep life-long love of regional literature and was instrumental in finishing Elmo’s book, A Place To Remember, after he passed away.

Norma was devoted to Elmo, her husband of 62 years, and to her four children and six grandchildren. The family was devastated by the sudden death of their oldest son Joel in a traffic accident in 1980. She frequently organized family gatherings, particularly of her siblings, who she greatly cherished. In later years, she took great joy in watching her grandchildren grow.

She is survived by three children, Beth (Bert Flora), Robert (Bruna Pedrini), Ted (Tanya); six grandchildren, Nathan and Benjamin Anderson, Joseph and Meghan Flora, and Stella and Lucy Anderson; her brother, Dan; sisters-in-law, Penny, Jenine and Lois, as well as nieces, nephews and extended family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmo; son, Joel; parents, Oscar and Hildegarde; brothers, David and Paul, and sister, Katherine.

A visitation will be held on Friday, June 4, 2021 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with a prayer service beginning at 7:00, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead. A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 5, 2021 at 1:00 p.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church. A livestream will be available here on on Norma’s page.

Burial will be with Elmo at Riverside Cemetery, Hillsboro, ND. Memorials can be sent to ELCA World Hunger, Lutheran World Relief, or the music programs at Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN.