Celebration of Life Service for Norma Joyce Smith, 95, of Sisseton, SD will be held on Friday, August 26, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. at the First Presbyterian Church, Sisseton, SD with Pastor Vern Donnell officiating.  Organist will be Ember Dady and soloist will be Darcy Ready.  Honorary Pallbearers will be Norma's Grandchildren & Great Grandchildren.  Norma and Glenn will be interred together at the Sisseton Cemetery, Sisseton, SD.  There will be visitation at the Cahill Funeral Chapel on Thursday, August 25, 2022 from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. The Cahill Funeral Chapel is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Our Mom - A Life Remembered

Norma Joyce Hagen was born September 20, 1926 to Edwin Hagen, Sr. and Palmina (Palm) Hagen at the family home in Sisseton, SD. She joined two brothers.  In time she welcomed two more brothers and a sister.  On August 18, 2022, at the age of 95, she went home to be with the Lord.

If you didn't know Norma, we're sorry. She could light up a room with her smile, energy and spirit. Her magnetic personality drew people to her. Making friends with Norma was easy.

Mom remembered and respected every teacher she had.  Her relationships with them lasted a lifetime. In grade school she was especially good at declamation. She remembered her pieces and would often recite them. She and a friend surreptitiously made "special" mud pies with eggs stolen from her brother's pigeons.  Let's listen to Norma from her autobiography. "One day Don and I closed the swinging door between the dining room and the kitchen because we wanted to try a little experiment.  We took a little bit of everything we could find in the "skinny cupboard" and put in a jar.  We had earlier discovered that soda and vinegar would foam up, so we were going to make something even better.  We were standing by the kitchen sink, put the cap on the jar, gave it a shake and KA-BOOOOOM…..I think it rocked the house. Glass splinters and mixture all over the kitchen.  Mom and Dad came running and saw me holding my eyes and thought I had been blinded by the flying glass.  Don was so short it all flew over his head.  We were lucky we didn't get hurt.  We never tried that again….. Wonder if we could have gotten a patent on it?"

She was active in High School. Her interests included Band and Cheerleading.  She was crowned Homecoming Princess her senior year. Norma graduated from Sisseton High School in 1945.

Norma obtained her teaching certificate at Northern Normal. She taught in a one-room country school for one year. Until the end of her life, she maintained relationships and contacts with many of her former students. The wide world beckoned to Norma. She collected new memories in Minneapolis and Seattle where she gained employment. She answered a louder call. One from her heart. With the encouragement of her mother, she returned to Sisseton and married the love of her life and father of her children, Glenn Smith. She was warmly welcomed into the Smith family.  The two of them working together side by side purchased Whetstone Propane and built it up.

With God's grace their business prospered and supported their family.  Norma was a wonderful nurturing mother. She supported her children in every endeavor, no matter how crazy:

• finding themselves in a chaotic parking lot after surprising their children with tickets to a Beatle's concert.
• chaperoning their son's musical dreams in chaotic dance halls and bars.
• dodging gopher holes on the airport runway teaching her daughters to drive.
• adopting a stray dog that "followed the kids home". Blackie became the family guardian and valued family member.
• Norma continued her childhood Christmas traditions with her family. Every Christmas was spent at Grandma's house with uncles, aunts, cousins, first cousins, second cousins and maybe even third cousins and always Santa. Cousins lined up for the Christmas photo, in birth order.
• Norma showed patience and tolerance and allowed us to grow and follow our dreams.
• In our youth every Sunday was spent creating memories with our extended family at Clear Lake.

Mom encouraged those around her to create joyful memories, a deep well from which to draw in times of trouble.  She was drawn to her husband's passion, aviation. She took lessons and made her solo flight in the late 60's. Along with Glenn, Norma was active in Civil Air Patrol and instrumental in creating the local chapter. Norma witnessed Glenn in a plane crash at the airport and was the first responder in the rescue. During Glenn's recovery she was pressed into duty fulfilling contractual obligations in their propane business; driving truck, delivering gas, using a hand bit to drill holes and lay pipe.  Along with all her business obligations she was a lifetime member of the First Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday School, Bible School and served with the Presbyterian Women's group. She led her daughters' 4H group.  She even found time to be employed at Holland and Brantseg Law Firm.

Norma was a people person, she especially liked participating in class reunions. All classes. It didn't matter who you were or how

old you were she would make a connection.  Everyone was welcome in Mom's world be it class reunions, church work or customer service.  Chance encounters in random places often led to life-long friendships. Norma was a card fanatic. She played bridge, whist, solitaire, hand and foot, performed card tricks and was undefeated at Chinese checkers.  Norma had a great sense of humor; you more than likely have been entertained by at least one of her jokes.  She also had an amazing artistic talent and loved to paint and draw.

In retirement they created their dream home on Pickerel Lake, a refuge where they enjoyed family gatherings and Memorial Day Dips (a tradition started by their grandchildren). They wintered in Mesa AZ, took cruises, visited Alaska and Hawaii and enjoyed time with their children and grandchildren.  On July 22, 2018, Norma decided to recommit her life to Christ and was baptized in Clear Lake.

Preceding Norma in death were her parents, her in-laws, Alta and Warren Smith, her husband of 65 years, Glenn Smith; brother and sister-in-law Edwin, Jr. and Betty Jean Hagen; brother and sister-in-law Kervyn and Donna Hagen; sister-in-law Kitty Hagen; sister-in-law Verda and Palmer Akre; sister-in-law Clarice and Jim Enquist; brother-in-law Gale Smith; granddaughter Callie Derflinger and faithful companion Blackie.

She is survived by her son Kerry (Kathie) Smith, Talent, OR; daughter Lauri (Roger) Sonstegard, Lake City, SD; Heidi Smith (Terry Christensen) Sioux City, IA. Brother Don (Vicky) Hagen, Sioux Falls, SD; sister Corrine (Ed) Hunstad, Aberdeen, SD; brother Fred Hagen, Ainsworth, NE; sister-in-law Lita Smith, Shreveport, LA. Grandchildren:  Naval Officer Michael (Dilshad) Smith, US Military, Germany; Felicite (Jason) Badillo, Diamond Bar, CA; Matthew Smith, Barview, OR; Dustin Derflinger, Johnston, IA; Summer Amman, Sioux City, IA; Chelsea (Corey) Hollis, Tillamook, OR; Luke Sonstegard (Eva Murphy), Frontier, ND; Jesse (Kristi) Christensen, Indianola, IA; Anna (Joe) Meissner, Fargo, ND.  Great grandchildren: Seth and Grayson Smith, Athena Murphy, Asher Amman, Norah Meissner, Isaac Christensen, Haven Amman, Lyla Meissner, Levi Christensen and Joshua, Este, Jonny and Isla Derflinger …. and counting. Along with many nieces and nephews.

If you didn't know Norma – you will!  Heaven is waiting!