NORA JORGENSEN

Nora Jorgensen, 89; a spirited wife, mother, and business woman, died in Grand Junction, Colo., on Dec. 21 of respiratory failure. Walter Jorgensen, her son, said she died in the loving care of her daughter, Nancy Fletcher, and the case managers of Alpine Hospice.

She was born May 23, 1919 in Duluth, to David and Alina Jacobson.

Her early life included work at Hill Mercantile and First State Bank, both in Floodwood, Minn. She married Ralph Jarvi and her first child, Joan Ellen Jarvi, was born. She later met the love of her life, Walter Jorgensen, and they were married in 1947 and had two children. In 1958 they bought the Basell Hotel & Bar in Grafton, N.D., and the family lived in Grafton until Nora and Walt retired to northern Minnesota in 1972.

Walt and Nora had many happy years together after their retirement until Walt died in 1989 of congestive heart failure. Nora spent the next 15 years in Minneapolis, before moving to assisted living in Grand Junction, Colo., in 2005 when her health started to decline.

One of life's biggest pleasures for Nora was time spent at her Red Lake cabin in northern Minnesota. She loved to fish, play cards, and cheer on the Twins and Vikings. She always enjoyed entertaining friends with good food and drink. She always said, "Life is great; you just can't weaken."

Her daughter, Joan Moe of Grafton, N.D., died at 46 from complications to lupus

Survivors include her son, Walter Jorgensen, owner of Palisade Pharmacy in Palisade, Colo.; her daughter, Nancy Fletcher, president of OAAA in Washington, D.C.; nine grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandson.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE: is planned in June at Pelican Lake in northern Minnesota after burial next to her husband in Buhl, Minn. Arrangements are being handled by Callahan Edfast Mortuary in Grand Junction, Colo.

Tags: obituaries