Norma E. Sholl, 81, Fargo, died Saturday, June 21, 2003, in St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester, MN.
Norma Elaine Ulsaker was born Feb. 17, 1922, in Fargo, to Andrew and Mabel (Helling) Ulsaker. She graduated from Kindred High School in 1940 and from the North Dakota State School of Science in 1941. In 1957, Norma completed the Dale Carnegie Course in Effective Speaking, Leadership Training, and Human Relations.
On June 7, 1945, Norma married William Sholl in Lancaster, PA. They met while working at a munitions plant in the state of Washington during WWII. In 1946, they moved to Fargo and in 1959 the family moved to the Lars Helling homestead near Kindred.
She worked as a secretary for the Kindred school from 1961 until 1964, when the family moved back to Fargo. Norma devoted the next 16 years to bringing up her five children.
In October 1969, she became council chairman of the Fargo Toastmistress Club. Norma won numerous speech debates while she was a member of Toastmistresses and won a regional contest in Milwaukee, WI. Norma loved a good debate, whether with the Toastmistresses or her family!
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In 1970, she accepted the position of secretary to the Postal Inspector. Norma retired from the Fargo Post Office in 1986 after 16 years of service. In 1972, her husband and sons founded the family business, Dakota Hose and Equipment, Inc. William died in 1982.
Norma was proud of her family heritage. The Hellings and Ulsakers were pioneers in the Kindred area. She enjoyed many family and Kindred-school reunions over the years and she always loved a good Norwegian joke. Her younger brother Norman, of whom she was very proud, kept her well supplied with those.
Over the past two decades, Norma spent summers at the family lake home on Pelican Lake. On weekends, the whole clan would gather; Norma was happiest when she was surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Norma's children were very devoted to their mother, and she often said that her wealth was in her children. Two of Norma's dear sisters lived at the lake as well. Heated political debates often broke out over games of Scrabble at the Sholl lake compound!
In 1996, Norma moved into the Park Avenue Apartments, where she met many new friends. She had wonderful times with her neighbors, playing cards and having a good laugh! Norma's family wants to thank the Park Avenue residents for being such dear friends and for all the support they gave Norma in the cards and letters sent to her in Rochester.
Norma is survived by four sons, William (Charlotte Berg), Oxbow, ND; Daniel (Lisa), John, both of Fargo; Eric, West Fargo; a daughter, Elizabeth (Steve) Loge, Fargo; two sisters, Esther Mae Amstrup (Howard Hasledalen), Grand Forks; Elizabeth Sylvester, McLean, VA; a brother, Norman (June) Ulsaker, Fernando Beach, FL; nine grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and 14 nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband, William, and a sister, Inez Caldwell.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, at First Lutheran Church, 619 Broadway, Fargo, with visitation beginning at noon. Burial will be at Kindred Cemetery, Kindred, ND.
(Hanson-Runsvold)
