Norma O. Beck Thompson

Norma Beck was born January 17, 1915 to Stengrim and Anna Hovelsrud Stensgaard in Hardin County, South Dakota. She grew up and attended school there. Norma was baptized and confirmed in the Ludlow Lutheran Church, in Ludlow, South Dakota. In April of 1935, Norma enrolled at the Kristie Beauty School in Bismarck, North Dakota. After earning her cosmetology license she spent her first year working in Reeder, ND, then purchased a Beauty Shop in Scranton, ND, which she operated until moving to Hawley, MN, in 1939, where her parents had moved to in 1936. After earning her license from the state of Minnesota, she worked a year at Mary's Beauty Salon in Dilworth, MN, and then managed Mac's Beauty Shop in Hawley for two years. She spent some time working at the "Twin City Ordinance Plant" in Minneapolis before moving to Canby, Oregon in 1943, where she owned and operated a Beauty Shop before moving back to the Hawley area. She then owned and operated a Beauty Shop in Dilworth, MN, before opening Norma's Beauty Nook in Hawley in 1949. In October 1953, she married William Beck in Hawley. William farmed and Norma operated the Town and County Beauty Shop, in their home, until 1965, when she moved the Beauty Shop to Hawley. William "Blue" as he was known, died August of 1967. She continued to live in her country home and operated her shop there until 1970, when she bought a house in Hawley where she lived and had her hair dressing business. In June 1979, she married Tommy Thompson. She then retired from her career. They resided in Hawley. Tommy died October of 1995. Norma continued to live in Hawley. She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters and two brothers. She is survived by three nieces, Cheryl Cavelier, Sanna Koljonen & Babara Jacobs; seven nephews, Keith Stensgaard, Gene Hill, Sherwood Johnson, Dale Stensgaard, Daryl Stensgaard, Tom Beck and John Beck; step-children, Anita Thompson, Les Nan Thompson, Elliot Thompson, Ellis Sue Thompson, two step-granddaughters, Quinn Marie & Emily; two step-grandsons, Aaron & Nathan.