Norine Affeldt

Norine Dorathea Affeldt, 90, of Crookston, MN, passed away on February 6, 2022, at the Benedictine Living Community Crookston with family members at her side.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1931, Norine Dorothea Nolting was born on the family farm in Readlyn, Iowa.  Norine was born to John and Sophia (Staack) Nolting.  She joined her brother Norvan to make a family of four.  Shortly after, the family moved to Omaha, NE, her sister Nylene was born to complete the Nolting family.

John and Sophia raised their family to have a strong faith. They saw to it that Norine and siblings were baptized, confirmed and raised in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  After spending her early years in Omaha, Norine chose to attend St. John’s Lutheran Academy & St. John’s Lutheran College in Winfield, KS.  It was at St. John’s that she completed her high school education and completed her AA degree in education in 1950.

Mom accepted her first Call to be a teacher at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in St. Louis, MO.  As was common in those days, young teachers boarded with members of the church. The family Norine lived with had a nephew serving in the army.  They asked mom if she would correspond with him.  His name was Paul Affeldt.  At that time, he was in Japan.  However, soon after the Korean Conflict broke out. Paul was sent to Korea where he served his time as a Medic.  During his time in Korea, mom continued to write to Paul.  Paul was discharged early following the conclusion of the Conflict.  Paul’s first trip, after being shipped back to Fort Leonard Wood, MO was to hitch hike to St. Louis and meet the girl who had been writing to him.  Their engagement soon followed.

Paul and Norine were married October 11th, 1952, at Zion Lutheran Church, in Brainerd, MN with Paul’s father, The Reverend Paul Affeldt officiating. After several moves around the State of MN, Paul and Norine made Brainerd, MN their permanent home in 1959.

No matter where they lived, mom used her education to teacher others.  When raising their children (Paul C., twins David and Denise and Dwight), mom took in secretarial work to assist in providing for the family.  As the children grew mom went back out into the workforce.  Norine did substitute teaching around the Brainerd School system, worked for the MN State Hospital in Brainerd, MN, the MN North District first located in Brainerd and later Baxter, MN; she finished her career as the Administrative Secretary to the Crow Wing County Engineer.

Following Paul’s death in October of 2007, mom had enough of living in the Minnesota winters.  She moved to Oceanside, CA to be closer to her sister Nylene and her husband, Warren Naegele.  Following open heart surgery, Mom moved to Payson, AZ to live with her oldest son, Paul.  This past June, Norine moved to Crookston, MN to be near her daughter, Denise.

Throughout the past months and especially during her last two weeks with us, Norine would often say, that while there had been many ups and downs throughout her life, she couldn’t understand why God had to make the last days of her life the worst.  Through it all, she hung onto her faith and now has been awarded eternal life in heaven.

Surviving Norine are her children: Paul C and Aida of Payson, AZ, David and Charlotte (Whitlock) of Medical Lake, WA, Denise Affeldt & Greg Boetcher of Crookston, MN and Dwight and Patti (Martin) of Orono, MN.  Sister Nylene Naegele and husband Rev. Warren Naegele, San Antonio, TX.  Grandchildren: Nichole (Matt) Kaiser, Jeremey Affeldt, Brandon G. and Kerri (Tyler) Boetcher, Brittny (Boetcher) and Jordan Thompson, Brandon T. Boetcher, Paul Jr. and Megan (Elsen) Affeldt. Michael Affeldt, and Natalie Affeldt.

Great grandchildren:  Walker, Logan, Kolt, Malachi, Selah, Josiah, Lucas, Madeline, Shelby, Kennedi and Madilyn. Norine is also survived by several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Norine was proceeded in death by her husband Paul, parents John and Sophia Nolting, in-laws The Rev. Paul and Alma Affeldt, brother Norvan Nolting, sister-in-law Elaine (Affeldt) Pijahn and her husband Lorenzo (Larry) Pijahn, and grandchildren Jaymie Leigh and Chase Robert Boetcher.

The family would like to thank Hospice of the Red River Valley, with special thanks to her nurse Lynn and Pastor Nathan Richards, and the staff at the Villa St. Vincent for caring for Norine during her last days with us.

A service of committal for Norine Affeldt will be held at 2:00pm, Friday, June 3rd, 2022, at the Minnesota National Veterans Cemetery Columbarium located at Fort Ripley, near Brainerd, MN.