Norma Bird

Norma Bird, 78, lost her battle with a long-term illness on February 25, 2016, in Fairview, MT; she peacefully passed away at home, surrounded by her loving family. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Monday, February 29, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 106 Osage Ave., Bismarck, with Rev. Craig A. Schweitzer officiating. Burial will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, at 2:00 pm. Visitation will be held from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm Sunday, February 28, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 6:00 pm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Norma was the ninth of thirteen children born to Daniel and Mary Strobel; she grew up with her six brothers and six sisters on the family farm at Turtle Lake, ND. While attending Bismarck High School, Norma worked at The Main Café where she met her very best friend, Patricia (Olson) Bird. The two friends would later go on to marry brothers! After graduating, Norma went to work at the Capital Building in Bismarck in the State Income Tax Department and worked there until April 12, 1961, when she married Earl R. Bird at the American Lutheran Church. Over the next several years, his work in powerline construction with Larson Construction Company required that they travel to different job locations around the country. They were finally able to settle down in Canon City, CO, where they raised their three children, Michelle, Douglas, and Wade. After many years in Colorado, they moved back to Bismarck where Norma became an active member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. She particularly enjoyed attending Wednesday Bible Study with her sister Marion. She was also a member of the Red Hat Society, where she made many good friends over the years. Norma enjoyed reading books by her favorite author Sidney Sheldon and took the time to appreciate the simple things in life like visiting with her family, spending time with their beloved dog, Lexi, or just hanging out on the patio soaking up the sun and relaxing. In September of 2014, Norma and Ray moved to Fairview, MT. Norma is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, Earl R. Bird; her three children, Michelle Wheeler, Fairview, MT, Douglas (Leona) Bird, Sugar City, CO, and Wade (Theresa) Bird, Las Vegas, NV; as well as her beloved grandchildren, Amy (Dean) Verhasselt, Allen Stitt, Cameron Wheeler, Brian Henry, Wade E. Bird, and Taylor Bird; great-grandchildren, Mikayla, Trevin, Braden, Aspen, Hailee, Jessie, Shamus, and Alyssa; her siblings, Elmer (Irene) Strobel and Melvin (Irma) Strobel, both of Bismarck, Milbert (Delma) Strobel, WA, Darwin (Janice) Strobel, Orangevale, CA, Mavis (Bill) Wagner, Suisun City, CA, and Jack (Gayle) Strobel, Rocklin, CA; brothers-in-law, Robert (Nancy) Bird, Bismarck, and Dale Bird, Florence, CO; her life-long friends, Carol Zeimetz and Frieda Moore; and numerous relatives and friends. Norma was preceded in death by her parents, Daniel and Mary Strobel; her beloved grandson, Andrew Wayne Stitt; her sisters, Betty, Leona, Frieda, and Marion; her sister-in-law, Patricia Bird; her brother, Leroy; and life-long friend, Joy Schneider.