Lois Norburg

Lois Norburg was a wonderful mother and grandma, a beloved wife and a precious friend. Hers was a life of love. She loved her husband, children, grandkids, and great grandson. She loved life, and each day she found new reasons to celebrate. Lois loved to laugh, and she especially loved to share her laughter with the many people dear to her heart. Above all Lois loved God. She was a woman of faith who led an honorable life, and she now rests in the Lord’s everlasting arms, where there is neither pain nor illness.

With the end of the Great War, thousands of young soldiers returned to their civilian lives back home. The economy prospered as industry expanded to meet the new demands of a peacetime nation. Amid this climate of good fortune, Paul VanDussen and his wife Helen Broski discovered another reason to celebrate. They were expecting a child, and on August 15, 1923 they were blessed with the healthy birth of their daughter Lois.

The younger of two children, Lois grew up on the West Side of Grand Rapids with the company of her brother Russell. Her family were members of Valley Avenue Methodist Church, where Lois developed the strong faith that would guide her throughout her life. She attended Stocking Elementary School and Union High School, where she graduated one year early with the Class of 1940. In her free time she played tennis and worked part-time at a bookstore on Bridge Street N.W. Following high school she enrolled in the secretarial school at Davenport College where she earned an Associates Degree. Lois started her working career as a secretary for McInerney Spring and Wire Company in Grand Rapids.

In 1946, shortly after the Second World War, Lois attended a party where she met a handsome young man named Sheridan Norburg. He was an interesting man: he’d fought in the war, and he had a knack for making Lois laugh. He offered her a ride home, and she accepted. He borrowed his brother’s car, and then they were on their way, marking the beginning of a romantic courtship that ended with marriage in 1948.

Lois and Sheridan settled into their first home on Third St. N.W. She continued to work at McInerney Spring and Wire until 1950, when they were blessed with their first child, their son Steve. They welcomed two more children, their daughter Nancy and son Jim, and soon moved into the house on Lake Michigan Drive N.W.

Lois was a devoted mother. She always regarded her children as her greatest accomplishment, and she was the happiest in their company. She emphasized the value of education by working at Sibley School and participating in the P.T.A. Family dinners were an important tradition in the Norburg household. Although Lois hardly knew how to cook when she and Sheridan tied the knot (she could make breaded pork chops and chocolate cake, and that was about it), she soon developed a knack for putting together wonderful meals. She could simply look at a recipe and determine if it would taste good or not. She shared her skills and secrets with her daughter and two sons.

Lois and Sheridan loved to travel. When the children were young, they went on many wonderful vacations together. Lois loved to go to Florida, especially in the springtime to watch the Detroit Tigers’ training season. She was an avid fan. Whether they were winning or losing, Lois always spoke highly of her team—and if you wanted to say anything negative about the Tigers, you’d better make sure that Lois was out of earshot!

Although Lois loved Florida, her favorite vacations were at the family cottage on Maston Lake, located just north of Grand Rapids. Each summer the Norburgs spent as much time as possible at the cottage. The children enjoyed playing water sports in the lake, and Lois liked to relax under the pleasant summer sun. This cottage provided the setting for many of her favorite memories.

In 1964, after her children went off to school, Lois returned to the working world. She went back to McInerney Spring and Wire, where she resumed her former position as secretary and eventually ascended to the title of executive assistant. She retired after twenty-five years of service.

With retirement Lois discovered more time to dedicate to her hobbies. She and Sheridan enjoyed golfing together. He always won the golf matches, but when they played tennis in their earlier days, Lois was the champion. They were members of the Elks Club, where they formed many valuable friendships. After Sheridan retired they began to travel again, usually up North in the late summer and early fall. They also visited Florida where they enjoyed golfing together. Lois loved playing the slots at casinos. She would save her quarters, and when her piggy bank was full, she and Sheridan would hit the road in search of a good casino. Traveling through Michigan, they would always stop at the casinos along the way. Even after Lois suffered a few minor strokes and required the assistance of walker, she continued to go to casinos, determined to hit a jackpot at the slot machines. Lois also loved music and theater. She enjoyed going to Broadway plays at the DeVos Hall or the Civic Theater, and she also enjoyed listening to music, especially the jazz that played on the all the radios when she was a young woman. Benny Goodman was her favorite; in her later years she also discovered a taste for Kenny G.

Lois and Sheridan were thrilled to see their family grow with the blessing of four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Lois was always delighted to spend time with the youngest members of her family. She especially enjoyed attending their sporting events and other activities. She was a very engaging grandmother, a source of unconditional support and affection.

Throughout Lois’ life, her faith was guide. She was a devout Christian, a generous woman and an active member of Faith United Methodist Church. She was always helping out with the Harvest Dinners and other church activities. But the dinners were her favorite. Her skills as a chef had developed far beyond breaded pork chops, and she loved to share her talent with friends and fellow congregants.

In recent years Lois suffered the loss of her eldest son, who was passed away unexpectedly in 2004. Shortly thereafter, her health began to decline. She suffered some minor strokes which limited her independence and mobility. Despite these hardships, she remained the woman who she had always been: joyful, optimistic, and always available to help her family and friends. Among the many people who loved her, she will be greatly missed and frequently remembered.

Lois died on Wednesday, November 14, 2007. She was preceded in death by her son Steve Norburg and her brother Russell Van Dussen. Surviving are her husband, of 59 years, Sheridan Norburg, her children: Nancy and Phil Grossman, Jim Norburg; her grandchildren: Farrah and Warren Foust, Nick and Nicole Norburg, Kay Grossman and Andy Grossman; her great grandson Cooper Steven Foust, her sister-in-law Rose VanDussen, her cousin Maryanne and Marshall Soderberg and nieces. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 10 A.M. at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW., with her pastor Rev. Geoffrey Hayes of Faith United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be in Rosedale Memorial Park. Mrs. Norburg reposes at the funeral chapel where relatives and friends may meet her family Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society would be appreciated or the charity of one’s choice. Please visit Lois’ personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you may sign the online register book or share a favorite memory.