Norma Hover

Tuesday, October 2, 2018 8:21 pm

Norma Hover, 99, of Ridgeway, died Monday, Oct. 1, 2018, at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah. Services are at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Peace Lutheran Church, Ridgeway, with Pastor Jeff Hansen officiating. Organist is Deb Mollers. Soloist is Rev. Phillip Olson (“On Eagles’ Wings”). Hymns are “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art.” Casket bearers are James Hover, Justin Sovereign, Zachary Hover, Isaac Hover, Josh Geiselhart and Shane Geiselhart. Honorary casket bearers are Joe Breisler, Gary Kratz, Tim Kratz, David Hover Jr. and Kevin Hover. Interment is at Madison Lutheran Cemetery, Ridgeway.

Norma Pearl Hover was born Aug. 12, 1919, to George and Pearl (Willharbor) Greene on a farm on Irish Ridge, seven miles from Boscobel, Wis., in Crawford County. She attended a one-room school near her home through seventh grade when the family moved to Madison, Wis. She stayed with an aunt in Pheasant Branch, Wis. near Madison to finish her eighth-grade education. Then she entered Central High School in Madison. She graduated from Central High School in 1937 and worked in restaurants. During WWII she worked at A.O. Smith in Milwaukee, Wis. doing airplane inventory in the office while military airplanes were being made. After the war ended, she stayed to do a final inventory and close the offices so the plant could go back to making cars. She then went to St. Paul in 1952, and worked at the Oliver Corporation in the billing department when she met Maurice Hover. They married Nov. 8, 1953, at the Little Brown Church. Together they had four children. She worked as a cook and manager at the Cliff House Hotel for a number of years and then was a library aide at North Winneshiek School for five years. She then took a nurse’s aide course through Calmar and became a physical therapy aide at the Howard County Hospital for 12 years before retiring. When she and Maurice first married they farmed for many years. When Maurice retired from farming they moved to Ridgeway. She liked being with family, playing cards on her computer, reading and just being social.

Norma is survived by her children: Dale (Donna) Hover, Ames; Randy (Lori) Hover, Waukon; Vicki (Gary) Sovereign, Cresco; Mark (Jean) Hover, Cresco and Alan Greene, Decorah; four stepchildren: LaDean Breisler, St. Paul, Minn.; Patricia Kratz, Decorah; Maurice Edward (Charilyn) Hover, Decorah; and David (Joannie) Hover; along with nine grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 18 step-grandchildren, 37 step great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

Norma was preceded in death by her husband, Maurice, in 1992; parents: George and Pearl Greene; stepson, Quentin Hover, in 1996; sister and brother-in-law, Elmer and Ruth Weidemann; a brother at birth; and two step sons-in-law, Donald Breisler and Roger Kratz.