Full Obituary

    MIKE L. NORKS, age 94, of Greenwood, passed away on September 14, 2015 at his son’s home. He died surrounded by the family he loved, fields of corn, green pastures and fresh country air. Mike was born September 27, 1920, at the family farm in the Town of Reseburg, Clark County, to Mike and Monica “Minnie” (Lebanowski) Norks. Mike lived an adventurous life working in the shipyards at Duluth-Superior then rode the trains to find work in the Portland, Oregon shipyards. He traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana where he claimed to have eaten his first, and only, raw oyster. For many years he worked as a carpenter.  In Chicago he met and married the love of his life, Frances (Depa) Norks. On June 27, 1953 they married, then moved back to the Norks family farm to raise six daughters and one son. Mike was a parishioner at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig’s Catholic Church in Thorp and a former parishioner at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenwood. Mike had a great love of the outdoors and he shared that love with his wife and children. He was an avid fisherman who enjoyed fishing trips to Canada, deep sea fishing off the Washington coast and many years of ice fishing. Mike liked to deer hunt, take long Sunday drives especially in the fall, and spend time with his family.  He loved to farm and watch his crops grow. After retirement he and Frances enjoyed many trips to the casino.
     Mike is survived by his seven children: Nancy Cox of Port Orchard, WA, Barbara Kaltenbach of Elk Grove Village IL, Sharon (Jeff) Wertepny of Longmont, CO, Karen Connolly of McHenry, IL, Darlene “Cha” Arndt of Tacoma, WA, Marlene “Tina” (Dave) Simmons of Chippewa Falls, WI, Michael Norks of Greenwood, WI and eighteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
     He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Frances, on October 26, 2008; his parents; two sisters: Jane Henderson of Isanti, MN and Agnes Cappelletti of River Grove, IL and three grandchildren: Eric, Nicole and Melanie Arndt and a son-in-law: Patrick Connolly.
     Funeral services were held at 10:30am on Saturday, September 19, 2015, at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig’s Catholic Church in Thorp. Father Janusz Kowalski officiated and burial followed in St. Bernard’s Catholic Cemetery in Thorp. Pallbearers were: Anthony Norks, Christopher Arndt, Jeffrey Wertepny, Jeremy Wertepny, David Simmons, Bradley Simmons, and Travis Simmons. Visitation was held at the Thorp Funeral Home on Friday, September 18, 2015, from 4pm until 8pm, with a 7pm rosary service, and at the church, on Saturday, from 9:30am until the time of the service.