Update of Johnny

Isaid in my Christmas letter to go to posts for June 1 Nov. 28th, but I didn't get time to write the November one. After the rehab in Alex, which was quite unsatisfactory, he started outpatient rehab in Morris and was able to walk with a cane. He was extremely weak and had been and still was taking so much medicine, his sugar levels went crazy. He was on heavy doses of insulin from the time he was in the hospital until the prednisone was lowered a month ago. He checks his levels four times a day but only takes a little on the days he takes prednisone which he will be able to discontinue next week.

The Morris rehab went better until he started having severe back pain. Family osteoporosis and all the anti-fungal medicine and especially the prednisone were destroying his bones. After months of unrelenting pain that even narcotics could not relieve, they found he had four compression fractures, one old and three new. He could not lie down for X-rays and MRIs without screaming in pain. He's slept in a recliner since July. Finally a couple of weeks ago they did one vertebroplasty and another "-plasty" with a balloon whose name I can't spell. They go into the spine and fill in the fractured bones with a cement that fortunately has given him relief. He still gets a tired back but is moderately active, driving his new pickup that he bought on the Cash for Clunkers program. For the first time today he told me he felt good. Seven months plus of misery. He's very stooped over and thin but things are definitely better.

Harold Nornes

Harold Nornes, son of Bernt and Martha Nornes, passed away September 25, 2009, at his home in Smyrna, TN. He was born May 1, 1930, in Winger, MN. He was an avid sports participant and fan. He spent twenty years in the U.S. Air Force and upon retiring worked another twenty-three years for the U.S. Postal Service. He was buried at Roselawn Gardens with full military honors. He is survived by his wife Margie, daughters Debbie Hanna and Sandy Nornes, and son Ronnie; his sister Idelle Bagne, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. See also family history book pages 244-247.

More Cousins

Mark and Susan Hermodson - Wrigley Field

Mauritson Cousins - Maurice Dyer, James Mauritson, Verna Fricke, Kathleen Huntley, Marsha Waind

Inger Dahl Nornes, David Nornes, Bjørn and Marit Nornes, Elias Nornes, Ida Nilsen, Rønnaug Nilsen, Synnøve Nornes.Ingrid Nornes, Marion and Daniel Nornes

Chelsea Aoki, wife of Scott Hermodson, with Ethan and Kai

Pictures -2009-Miscellaneous

Christopher and Julie Bennes

Tate and Skyler Smith

Joe and Joy Johnson and friend on the left.

Pictures - 2009 - Hermodson

Warren and Mavis Hermodson with Pam and James Henning, Children Kayla and Ryan

Chris and Gail Rautmann

Chad Kjorlien, Amy Hermodson with Eric

Jason Peterson

Matthew and Megan Dimich, Don, Verna, and Joseph Fricke

Kia and Alexandra (Zan) Thrasher

Pictures - 2009 - Dyers

Ruthie (90th Birthday) and daughters Marsha Waind and Beverly Larson Jennifer Larson Roesler - Wedding

Meri and Michelle Dyer

Hannah and Lucy Dyer

Maurice Dyer Family

Pictures - 2009 - Bursheims

Stina Marie Breckenridge and Grandpa Myron Bursheim

Nat Bursheim

Mark Bursheim

Pictures - 2009 - Pearl and Bob Arras Family

Siene Allen - Nikki's daughter

Echo Dassinger

Darren, Echo, and Julie Dassinger

Nikki and Jaime Schielke

Bob & Ginny (Pearl) Arras - 50th Wedding Anniversary Party

Life and Death, Again

Meri Lower Dyer, wife of Maurice Dyer (Ruthie's son) passed away June 9 in Elgin, Illinois. Besides her husband, she is survived by her daughter Michelle and son Michael (Jen) and granddaughters Hannah and Lucy Bea, born five days before on June 4. There will be visitation from 2-4 and service at 4 at Laird Funeral Home in Elgin on June 20.

My brother John has been very ill with acute respiratory failure. He left with a terrible head cold on April 21 for Albuquerque and a trip to the Southwest with Arlene, her brother and wife, and another couple. He was hospitalized in Santa Fe that night and then diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis (which he didn't know he had), pneumonia, and altitude sickness (common in Santa Fe, he was told). The rest of the trip was canceled, he came home, and seemed to be okay with oxygen. However, after a few days, he relapsed, was hospitalized in Morris and then transferred by ambulance to Abbott in Mpls. He was in ICU there, virtually on life support, for almost a week. He had seven pumps of fluids and medicine, a feeding tube, a breathing tube, two catheters, two monitors, three doctors, and an ICU nurse. He evidently had contacted Valley Fever as well in Albuquerque, where he had had to wait four days for delivery of oxygen tanks that could be taken on a plane. Last Thursday we drove him to a nursing home in Alexandria for rehab, and he will be discharged from there tomorrow. He will have further rehab outpatient in Morris.

For further information on Valley Fever, go to http://phoenix.about.com/cs/health/a/valleyfever01.htm.

Berdeen, Babies

Berdeen Nornes passed away on May 1 at Bethany Homes in Fargo at the age of 86. His wife Jill is also a resident of Bethany. He is survived by his four daughters Nancy Olson, Mary Stoltman, Barb Larson, and Dianne Myhrer, 9 grandchildren, and 21 great grandchildren.

He attended business school and worked for various companies in Thief River Falls, Minneapolis, and Fargo-Moorhead. He entered the army in 1943 and as part of the Army Air Corps, he flew over 150 combat missions over the hump into China and Burma hauling supplies to the front lines. They had no guns or ammunition so were subject to enemy fire on every mission. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and an air medal with two oak leaf clusters.

His funeral was held May 4 at St. John Lutheran Church in Fargo.

Two babies this spring

April 26, Zachary Pierce (4lbs., 13 oz.), son of Randy and Heather Shields Nornes. Grandparents are Bud and Joyce Nornes.

May 4, Stina Marie (9lbs., 4 oz.), daughter of Andy and Rachel Bursheim Breckenridge. Grandfather is Myron Bursheim.

Life and Death - Easter, 2009

This is the last letter posted to Harvey by Håkon on Facebook.
"Last night I got an idea to search on FB for ”Nornes” , ending up by getting a few new FB Nornes friends.Do not know how many that will accept my Friend invitation but it is nice to see that our name is represented here as well.At this moment I am working in the west pacific onboard my vessel Geo Searcher.We are exploring the continental shelf around the Easter Island on behalf of the Chilean Government.I had a nice day on the Easter Island last week, went on a guided tour and visit the old statues. ( see album )I will be back on Easter I. for crew change April 8, celebrate Easter on the Island before I head home for the Norwegian spring.My parents is at the moment on Thayer long vacation on the Canaries Island, believe they will head home for Easter as well."

My generation's third cousin, Håkon Nornes, 43, son of Bjørn and Marit Nornes of Åkrehamn, Norway was killed in an All Terrain Vehicle accident on Easter Island on Good Friday, April 10 (Western Pacific time, Thursday, US and Norway time). Håkon was the Captain of the Geo Searcher, a Norwegian seismic expedition ship (oil exploration) operating in the South Pacific.

If my translation of the Karmøy newspaper is correct, he had time off for a change in the ship's crew and several of the men were exploring the island on ATV's. Håkon lost control of his vehicle, drove off the road and hit a tree. He was scheduled to come home within the next few days for his son's confirmation. In an earlier edition of the same newspaper was a long letter Håkon had written only a few days before the accident describing a bus tour of the island he and shipmates had taken when they had to dock to get aid for an ill crew member. He had posted pictures of this excursion on Facebook.

We met Håkon when we were on the Cousin Tour in 1998. Several of the men toured one of the ships that Bjørn and his sons owned that ran supplies out to ships that didn't come into ports very often. This was mainly off the coast of Africa. That business has since folded, but all three have continued their maritime connections. Elias, who visited Family Reunion along with his fiance and parents in 1999, handles the business end of it on land, and Bjørn still occasionally works for the Norwegian government on ships like the Geo Searcher as an inspector to protect the fisheries in the exploration activities. I know Bjørn and Mariet better than I knew Håkon, but we had recently reconnected on Facebook so I knew more or less what he was doing. Bjørn telephoned Roger to tell of the accident and related how Håkon has had several adventures at sea, even a sinking ship, so it's tough for them to have him die in such a useless accident. Bjørn and Marit's address is Tjøsvollveien 36, Åkrehamn 4270, Norway.

Third and fourth cousins are distant relationships, but some genes are very strong in the Nornes family, notably male-pattern baldness. Below are the Facebook pictures of Håkon on the left and Bud's son Randy on the right. They are fourth cousins but could be brothers. If you didn't know at least one of them well, you would hardly be able to tell them apart.

Another e-mail: My name is Benito Atan Im the Ship Agent in Easter Island I was workingwith Cap. Hakon Nornes, and i have a really deep feeling with him, imlooking for a email or something of his famili also I have some picturesthe i will want so send.please if you have any information will be apritiate.thanks

We remember also this Easter the stillborn birth of Anna Irene Kjorlien, daughter of Amy Hermodson and Chad Kjorlien of Winona.

The floods haven't hurt Norneses too badly in the Red River Valley, so the weather gods hit Janae and Elliott Peterson (son of Kathy Huntley and Collin Peterson) in the Tennessee tornado last week. Their house wasn't exactly flattened but destroyed, nevertheless. Fortunately they were not at home at the time - in church in fact - and are now living in a hotel.

On a happier note, despite the rising water, some people got to Chester's 80th birthday Open House in Shelly on Saturday, postponed a week because of the floods. His sister Ruth Dyer is being moved into an assisted living facility tomorrow and will celebrate her 90th birthday there on April 25. Her new address is 4006 24th Ave. S., #314, Grand Forks, ND, 58201. I'm sorry I couldn't get to either birthday party. The best I could do was send him this picture taken of Johnny and me and Chester on our farm April 3 (also my father's birthday), Easter Sunday, 1938.

Chester's Birthday

Norneses are invited to an Open House for Chester's 80th Birthday (No Gifts) on Saturday, April 4, from 2-5 p.m. at the Senior Citizen's Building in Shelly. No RSVP is necessary; send a card if you can't attend. 105 Third Street, PO Box 177, Shelly, 56581.

Facebook

I've recently joined Facebook and started a Nornes group within it. I haven't, however, started any discussion or posted any news on it. I have found over 20 Norneses already on Facebook or who have joined as a "friend" when I asked them to so it has been fun contacting people I normally don't hear from.

The most recent news is that Gail Hermodson (Mark and Susan's daughter) was married February 9 to Christopher Rautman. Also Michael Dyer (Ruthie's grandson) is married - wife is Jennifer Kunz - and they have a daughter Hannah Ruth.

For the Bernhard family, the Melbo relatives (two couples who are descendants of Petra's niece Malena) are coming to the US the latter part of August. I've never met them but have been corresponding with them for a year or so.