Obituary of Norma Harriet Ferguson

Norma Harriet Nolte Ferguson, 92, peacefully passed away on May 28, 2019, at home in Polk City, IA.

Norma was born near Sargeant, MN on October 8, 1926, a daughter of Otto T. and Mary Harriet “Hallie” (McCord) Nolte. She graduated from Harmony, MN High School in 1943. She attended college in Winona, MN for one year and graduated from the University of Iowa School of Nursing in 1948. On February 19, 1949, she married Roy Merle Ferguson at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City. They lived in Coralville for many years and she was a member of the Coralville United Methodist Church for over 57 years.

Norma was the last surviving sibling of her generation and was preceded in death by her husband, Roy, in 2004, her parents, three brothers, David, Charles and Allen Nolte; three sisters, Doris Schmidt, (Julia) Marian Rodemeyer and Eleanore Horning; all six of their spouses and numerous cousins.

Norma is survived by her three children, Neil (Debi) Ferguson, Kennesaw, GA; Mark (Susan) Ferguson, Polk City, IA and Lori Ferguson, St. Louis, MO; seven grandchildren, Eric Dunbar, Ahoskie, NC; Amanda Baskin, Sarasota, FL; Whitney (Kevin) Maher, Woodstock, GA; Scott (Shani) Ferguson, Acworth, GA; Krista (Nick) McCleish, Johnston, IA; Valerie (Alex) Willcox, Bozeman, MT; Brian (Samantha) Ferguson, Olathe, KS; and seventeen great-grandchildren, Paul Gregowicz, Jacob and Noah Dunbar; Charlotte, Grace and John Baskin; Roy, Madeleine, Nathanael, Philip and Aubrielle Maher; Miles, Mason and Micah McCleish; Eleanore Willcox, Dominic Fu and Damian Ferguson.

Norma’s career in nursing was spent in the Obstetrics Department at the University of Iowa Hospitals, with the last ten years of work prior to her retirement spent as the Clinical Nursing Consultant for the statewide Perinatal Program, traveling throughout Iowa doing outreach education for the obstetrics departments in other state hospitals.

Norma enjoyed her annual fishing trip to Minnesota with Roy, sports, especially Hawkeye football (she was a season ticket holder for 74 years), St. Louis Cardinals baseball, reading, crossword puzzles, playing cards, cribbage, traveling, dancing and spending time with her loving family.

Funeral arrangements are made with Gay and Ciha Funeral Home, 2720 Muscatine Ave. in Iowa City. Visitation will be from 4-8 pm on Friday, June 14, 2019, at the Funeral Home, with funeral service at 10:30 am on Saturday, June 15, 2019, at Coralville United Methodist Church, 806 13th Ave. in Coralville, IA. Lunch will follow at 11:30 am, with graveside services at Memorial Gardens, 2600 Muscatine Ave. in Iowa City at 1:30 pm.

Services officiants:  Rev. Leigh Brown and Rev. David Nolte (nephew)

Pall bearers:  Eric Dunbar, Scott Ferguson, Brian Ferguson, Nick McCleish, Brian Rodemeyer, Kevin Maher

Honorary pall bearers:  Andy Horning, Alex Willcox, Jeff Rodemeyer, Steve Nolte