Norma Jean Dahlstrom

Norma J. Dahlstrom, 87, of Waukon, IA, died Thursday, December 22, 2016, at UnityPoint-Allen Hospital in Waterloo, IA. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 28th, at 11:00 AM at St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon with Rev. Lynn G. Groe officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Tuesday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Norma Jean Dahlstrom was born November 27, 1929, in rural Clermont, IA, the daughter of Albert and Neva (Ritchie) Schave. She was raised in Clermont and attended schools there. On October 7, 1949, Norma married Alto E. Dahlstrom at the Lutheran church in Castalia, IA. The couple lived in Giard, IA, before moving to rural Waukon, IA. Family was top priority for Norma and she loved cooking and baking for them, canning, and making bread. After her kids left home, Norma held a variety of jobs including cooking for the S&D and country club in Waukon, working housekeeping at the Waukon hospital, and plucking chickens at Agriprocessors in Postville, IA.

She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon, where she also belonged in the women's circle. She enjoyed working on puzzle books and word searches, and also liked to garden. Norma did some traveling in her later years; one memorable trip was to Las Vegas when she was in her 70s and was on an airplane for the first time.

Norma is survived by her children: Jolene (Darrell) Holtzclaw of Mooresville, IN, Ronald (Linda) and Dennis Dahlstrom, both of Waukon, Duane (Joni) Dahlstrom of Waterloo, IA, Marlene Dahlstrom of Waukon, Julie (Joe) Connolly of La Porte City, IA, Dale (Lynn) Dahlstrom of Waukon, and Steven Dahlstrom of Coralville, IA; 26 grandchildren; her great-grandchildren; and a brother Albert "Sonny" Schave, Jr. of Waukon.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Alto in 1986; an infant son; two grandsons: Alto L. Dahlstrom and Jesse Huntley; three brothers: Robert Schave and Cecil and Lyle McBurney; and daughter-in-law Joan Dahlstrom.

Honorary casketbearers are Norma's grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Casketbearers are Jason, Bill, and Chris Dahlstrom, Steve Dahlstrom Jr., Chris Penrose, and Ryan Connolly.