Norma Luntina (Korpela) Larson was born at the home of parents John and Minnie Korpela on May 15th, 1922. She was confirmed and baptized at the Apostolic Church in Kingston. She attended grade school at Dewey country school and later graduated from Cokato High School in the class of 1940. After graduation, she worked in a restaurant in Minneapolis and later did defense work at McClintock Clock Company where they manufactured instrument panels of B-17 and B-29 long range bombers during the Second World War. She was married to Melvin Larson of Cokato on June 10th, 1950. They made their home on a farm in Knapp and were blessed with three children. Melvin and Norma were members of North Crow River Lutheran Church where Norma was active in WELCA. She also was a 4-H leader of the Knapp Busy Bees for six years. In 1975, Melvin and Norma made a month-long trip to Sweden to visit relatives. Norma loved visiting with family, friends, and neighbors. Norma was a fun-loving mother who spent time going on adventures with her children. She always wanted to hang out at the Larson Campground, where she would enjoy great company, food, and campfires. Her last, great campfire outing was the evening two days before her passing. Norma is survived by her three children, Lynette (Jeff) Bye, Shirley (David) Cole, and Dennis (Tara Opsal) Larson; four nieces, Gloria Dobratz, Linda Leinonen, Patricia Karels, Kathy Seiffert; nephews, Bill Korpela and Marlyn Hempel; six grandchildren, Nicole (Jeremy) Tupa, Harrison (Evelyn Lopez) Menke, Corey (Megan) Bye, Kris Bye, Rachel (Michael) Ford, and Taylor (Mike) Monson; and five great-grandchildren, Anthony, Joseph, and Vincent Tupa, Nikolai Bye, and Mateo Menke. Norma peacefully passed away at Buffalo Hospital on the morning of September 18th, 2023. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Minnie Korpela, husband, Melvin, four brothers, five sisters, three nieces, and a nephew.
A funeral service will take place at 11:00 AM on Friday, September 22, 2023 with visitation from 4-7 on Thursday, September 21, 2023 and continuing 1 hour prior to services on Friday, all at North Crow River Lutheran Church (45 Quinnell Ave SW, Cokato, Minnesota 55321) Internment is at the Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Cokato, MN. Arrangements are with Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home in Cokato, www.swansonpeterson.com, 320-286-2534
Sep
19