E. Elaine Norman

Funeral Services for E. Elaine Norman will be conducted on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Reverend David Sites, officiating. Interment will be held in Fridhem Cemetery at Funk, Nebraska.

E. Elaine Norman, 85 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Thursday, July 8, 2010 at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. Elaine was born on March 23, 1925 at Holdrege, the sixth of eight children born to James Bishop Johnston, Jr. and Edith (Carlson) Johnston. Elaine was baptized and confirmed at the Bethel Lutheran Church. She received her primary education from rural schools in Phelps County, and then graduated from Holdrege High School with the class of 1942. Following her education, she received her normal training and taught in a rural school for one year, prior to Nurses Training at the University of Nebraska Medical College – School of Nursing, graduating January 26, 1947.

On October 24, 1954, Elaine was united in marriage to Melvin Theodore "Ted" Norman and to this union three children were born: Mary Christine, Ann Lorraine and Kirk Theodore. They resided on a farm north of Bertrand, Nebraska until moving southwest of Smithfield, Nebraska until 1959, when they moved to a farm three miles south of Holdrege. Elaine was employed by the Brewster Hospital and Clinic from 1948 until the hospital closed in 1976. On December 2, 1983 she was preceded in death by her husband, Ted. Following the death of Ted, Elaine continued her education to work in the home health field. In 1997, Elaine moved into Holdrege, where she resided until her passing.

She was one of the founding members of the Holdrege Community Concert Association. Elaine was an Admiral of the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska, member of the Tre Kronor Scandinavian Society, V.F.W. Auxiliary, volunteered as the Blood Mobile Chairman for several years, and most importantly she was a lifetime member of the Bethel Lutheran Church, where she was active in many capacities.

Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers: Donald and Robert Johnston and three sisters: Fern in infancy, Doris Peterson and Wilma (Whistler) Kreutzer.

She leaves to mourn her passing her three children: Mary Norman of Holdrege, Ann Parmenter and her husband, Todd of Omaha, Nebraska and Kirk Norman and his wife, Laura of Lander, Wyoming; three grandchildren: Chelsea Parmenter, Garrett Norman and Christopher Norman; one brother, James B. Johnston and his wife, Marge of Green Valley, Arizona; one sister, Mae Marie Johnston and her husband, Carl of Kearney, Nebraska and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Monday, July 12, 2010 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in her memory and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.