Elizabeth (Wiarda) Norell, age 94, of State Center, entered into eternal life Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at the Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, April 9, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 605 First Avenue North, State Center IA 50247. Interment will be in the Rose Hill Memorial Gardens, Marshalltown. Public visitation will be held from 5 P.M. until 7 P.M., Friday, April 8, at the Pursel Davis Funeral Home, 405 W. Main Street, Marshalltown IA 50158 and visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Memorial contributions may be directed to St Paul Lutheran Church. Condolences and memories may also be sent to her family at www.vogelfuneralhomes.com.
Elizabeth was born on November 20, 1916, the daughter of Jacob and Rena (Ackerman) Wiarda near Allison IA. She graduated from Marble Rock High School at the age of 16. She attended Ellsworth Junior College and began teaching in a one room school house in 1935 at the age of 18. She began teaching school in the State Center School District in 1939. She was united in marriage to Carl B. Norell on January 30, 1944, in Gladbrook IA.
Elizabeth loved her family, learning, and teaching. She taught 5th grade in Rhodes Elementary School while working on her college degree. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Drake University in 1964. She taught reading and English at Miller Junior High School in Marshalltown. She retired in 1982 after 30 years of teaching. She was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, the State Center Garden Club, American Legion Auxiliary, the Order of Eastern Star, and the National Education Association.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Carl. She will be missed by her three daughters: Delores (Robert) Schuler of Odessa, Texas, Donna (Tom Coleman) Norell of Chicago, Illinois, and Dianne (John Breed) Norell of Littleton, Colorado; a son, Dan (Cindy Wilson) Norell of Silver Spring, Maryland; seven grandsons: Rodney (Linda), Erik, Nathan, Frederick, Joshua, Andrew and Aaron; three granddaughters: Elizabeth (Luis Aparicio), Laura and Mary; three great grandchildren: Devon, Amanda and Makayla; a brother and sister-in-law, Dean (Ferne) Wiarda, and sister-in-law, Mildred Norell of Denver, Colorado.
In eternal life, Elizabeth joins her husband, parents and brothers; Bernie, Irving Sr., William, Virgil, and Darius; and one sister, Ellen.