Norman Stutheit

Norman Delbert Stutheit, only son of J.C. and Emma (Koehler) Stutheit, was born June 10, 1921 on the family farm near Elk Creek, Nebraska. Four daughters were also born to this union. Norman was baptized June 21, 1921 by Rev. Krohn and confirmed April 5, 1936 by Rev. Panning at St. Paul Lutheran (Stutheit) Church south of Johnson, Nebraska. Norman attended grade school at Grove School District 44 through the 8th grade. He started farming early on, cutting wood, picking corn, plowing, and threshing hay for many farmers in the area.

Norman entered the U.S. Army in 1942, serving with the 13th Medical Battalion Mountain. He arrived in Bombay, India on Christmas Eve 1943 and went on to serve in the China-Burma-India Theater. He was discharged when the war ended and made it home through a snow storm on Christmas Eve 1945. He was awarded three battle stars, a mechanic badge, and a good conduct badge. One of the highlights of his life was being able to make the trip to Washington, D.C. in November of 2008 on the Heartland Honor Flight to visit the World War II Memorial on the National Mall.

On March 4, 1947 Norman was married to Donna Hathaway at the Stutheit Church. They made their home on a farm eight miles north of Humboldt, Nebraska and were blessed with five children: Maureen, Sharon, Daryl, Nancy, and Kurt. A few years after they were married the Stutheit Church was dissolved and they became members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Auburn, Nebraska. He served on many boards there, including the cemetery board, which he still served on at the time of his death.

Norman remained active in farming all his life. He loved the land and raising livestock, and was proud of his farm and family. He served on the Board of Education at Bratton Union School where his kids attended, encouraging them in everything from sports to 4-H, rarely missing an event.

Norman and Donna remained on their farm for 65 years. Donna?s health began to fail and he cared for her many years before she entered the Good Samaritan Society-Auburn in 2011. On November 30, 2012 Norman fell ill and was taken to the Nebraska Heart Institute in Lincoln, Nebraska. Unable to overcome his health problem he was brought back to Good Sam where he could be with Donna his final days. It is there he passed away on December 13, 2012, surrounded by his family. He had reached the age of 91 years, 6 months, and 3 days. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters and brothers-in-law Alberta and Erhardt Oestmann, Ella and Ernest Eggers, Laura and Clarence Eggers, Betty and Bob Halverstadt, sister-in-law Betty Stuck and grandson Andrew Marshall.

Norman is survived by his wife Donna of Auburn; children Maureen Marshall and Sharon Porter, both of Lincoln; Daryl Stutheit and wife Jane of Auburn; Nancy Stutheit of Humboldt; Kurt Stutheit and wife Gina of Peru; grandchildren Brad Marshall and wife Angie, Kent Marshall, all of Lincoln, Dariane and Amber Stutheit of Auburn; great-grandchildren Hayley and Landon Marshall; brother-in-law Dennis Stuck of Alma, NE; many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were Monday, December 17, 2012 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Auburn, officiated by Rev. Jonathan Rathjen. Joan Wittmann was accompanist for a solo by Kent Stutheit and congregational hymns. Pallbearers were Tim Brewer, Brad Marshall, Kent Marshall, Dennis Eggers, Pete Eggers, and Brett Van Winkle. Burial was in Trinity (Stutheit) Cemetery south of Johnson, with graveside military honors by American Legion Post #330 of Johnson and the Nebraska National Guard Honor Guard.