Vivian Nordby
Vivian Nordby, 91, of Bowman, N.D., formerly of Amidon, N.D., passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, at the Southwest Healthcare Long Term Center in Bowman.
Vivian was born on the family farm near Amidon Aug. 9, 1926, to Lud and Hannah Olson. She attended grade school in a one-room rural school in White Lake Township and went on to graduate from New England Public High School in 1944. She then attended Concordia College at Moorhead for two years, later transferred to NDSU, receiving a B.S. Degree in Education, 1948. Vivian first taught in New England 1948-49. The next two years were spent teaching in Montana (Conrad) and during the summer sessions attending the University, Missoula, doing post graduate work. The summer and fall of 1951, she went on an adventure to Alaska, finally ending up working for Boeing Aircraft in, Seattle as a secretary.
At a New Year’s office party Vivian met the love of her life, as her future husband Doug was wheeled in as the New Year’s baby, diaper and all. On June 15, 1953, they were married in the Lutheran Church in New England. After a honeymoon trip to Banff, Alberta, they returned to Seattle to work at Boeing Aircraft. Vivian taught school in Seattle to the end of the school term in 1955, when they returned to Amidon to help her father on the farm for the summer. Loving the outdoor-independent life of farming and ranching and North Dakota people, they never returned to their jobs in Seattle. Vivian was appointed by county commissioners to the office of Slope County Superintendent of Schools in the fall 1965 and served Slope Co. rural schools through 1984. In 1985 Vivian was appointed by Dr. Wayne Sanstead as Assistant Elementary Superintendent, Dept. Public Instruction, and was a strong supporter rural schools across North Dakota. She retired from education work 1987 and in 1997 retired from the farm, moving to Bowman.
Vivian loved life and enjoyed playing tricks on co-workers and cheating on a friendly game of cards. She was very active in the Slope County community using her talent to write and direct plays at the Slope County Fair for 25 years. She loved her local quilting group affectionately called the Wednesday Nite Strippers and created many quilts for family and friends. She flipped lefsa at the Fall Event Bible Camp in Medora for years, UFFDA! Vivian was active in the Red Hat Society, N.D., Retired Teacher Association and the Lebanon Lutheran Church in Amidon. Vivian felt blessed to live in Slope County where people care and share and she wouldn’t trade western North Dakota for any place in the world.
So here’s to the grey goose that swam the lake and never lost a feather, come a time in eternity may we all be together! We miss you dearly Vivian!
Vivian was preceded in death by her parents, Lud and Hannah Olson; infant brother, Luther; and husband, Doug.
Vivian is survived by sister, Leone McBride, Spokane, Wash.; son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Douglas M. Nordby, Jr. and Lori, Watford City; son and daughter-in-law, Donald and Sarah Nordby, Amidon; daughter and son-in-law, Darcy and Ron Hummel, Fredericksburg, Va.; seven grandchildren, Jessica Aslakson (husband Aaron), Mikka, Douglas Nordby III, Amanda Piper (husband Brandon), Hannah, Ty and Tate Nordby; three great-grandchildren, McKenna and Aiden Piper, and Vivian Aslakson.
Krebsbach and Kulseth Funeral Services of Bowman in charge of the arrangements.
A Family and Friends Service was held on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, at 7 p.m., at the Lebanon Lutheran Church in Amidon.
Funeral Services for Vivian were held Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, at 10 a.m., at the Slope County Fairgrounds in Amidon. Pastor Mark Nygard officiated. Burial followed in the Lebanon Lutheran Cemetery, Amidon, N.D.