Norita Lundgren

NORITA MAE LUNDGREN Cedar Rapids Norita Mae Lundgren, 82, of Cedar Rapids, died Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Funeral service: 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. Officiating: Pastor Steve Knudson. A visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, at the church. Burial: 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Norita was born Dec. 10, 1935, the daughter of Clarence and Lilly (Peterson) Anderson in Worthington, Minn. She graduated from Worthington High School and from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn. She obtained her B.A. degree with a functional major in Christian service. Her major emphasis was sacred music. However, she did additional post graduate work in organ, piano, voice and choral directing. On June 25, 1960, she married Lawrence Lundgren in Worthington, Minn. Norita was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. During her career, Norita was an associate in ministry with the ELCA Lutheran Church, having served congregations in Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa. The last 26 years before retirement, she served as director of music at First Lutheran in Cedar Rapids. There, she developed one the finest children and youth choir ministries of the ELCA. The high school church choir toured annually, and one of the highlights was being invited to sing at the Crystal Cathedral "Hour of Power" and subsequent TV coverage in America, Europe, Russia and Australia. The choir also performed at Walt Disney World. Norita was an accomplished organist and piano teacher for 25 years. She was a member of First Lutheran Church, past president of the Beethoven Club, member of Chorister's Guild, IMTA, National Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, National Guild of Piano Teachers, American Choral Directors, conducted youth and children's choral workshops and consultant for youth choirs. Norita had a special love for children. Survivors include her husband, Lawrence "Larry" Lundgren; two sons, David Lundgren and Marc (Patti) Lundgren; four granddaughters, Carrie (Rick) Fritz, Sasha (Matt) Raes, TroiAnn Lundgren and Natalia Lundgren; six great-grandchildren, Ryker, Meeka, Makaya, Bella, Korah and Gracie; sister, Carolyn Kvam-Hansman; and stepgranddaughter, Loren Macaranas. She was preceded in death by her parents. Memorials may be given to the Norita M. Lundgren memorial for musical purposes, especially the Children's & Youth Ministries of First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.