116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Norman Dave Thiessen
NORMAN DAVE THIESSEN
Atkins
Norman Dave Thiessen, 85, died Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, at UnityPoint-St. Luke's Hospital from an apparent heart attack.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019, at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Atkins with the Rev. Douglas Woltemath officiating. Interment will be held at St. Stephen's Cemetery, rural Atkins. Visitation will be held from 4 to
7 p.m. Tuesday, also at the St. Stephens Lutheran Fellowship Hall in Atkins.
Norman was born March 1, 1934, near O'Keene, Okla., to John and Myrtle Thiessen. From O'Keene, their family moved to Missouri, where his father got hailed out three years in a row, which forced them to move to Iowa in 1942. He attended country school near Van Horne through fifth grade and then went to Van Horne High School, graduating in 1954.
He then joined the U.S. Air Force, where he was in aircraft control. He served for four years, the last two of which he was sent to Okinawa and to the lower islands of Japan.
On June 20, 1964, he was united in marriage to Margaret Buelow at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Van Horne. Their lives together were blessed with the birth of two daughters, Kristi and Carol.
He was confirmed into the Lutheran faith in 1966 at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Van Horne.
Norman was employed at Iowa Electric for 29 years, retiring in 1996. The last 23 years were spent at the DAEC nuclear plant, Palo.
He and his wife farmed actively near Atkins for many years. He was a very talented carpenter and woodworker, making furniture for themselves and his two daughters.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret; his daughters, Kristi (Curtis) Rottman of Atkins and Carol (Randy) Woodley of Atkins; grandchildren, Rachel and Hannah Woodley and Nathan Rottman; his brothers, Bill (Jan) Thiessen and Bruce (Charla) Thiessen; his sisters, Wanda (Richard) Mauck, Margaret (George) Fetter and Freda (Steph) Hurlsburt; along with many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Emma and Martha; and one brother, Francis.
He was a member of St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, Atkins.
Norman was a loving husband, father and grandfather who greatly enjoyed his grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Bell Tower project in care of St. Stephen's Church, Atkins.
Online condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.
Daily Newsletters