Kathryn Nordeen

She was a woman of tremendous strength and great compassion, who taught, thought, and always believed in family first. Kathryn Marie (Johnson) Nordeen, 69, of Bismarck, ND formerly of Valley City, ND passed away at her home on December 23. 

Visitation for Kathy will begin at noon followed by a Celebration of Life at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, December 31 at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, ND.

Kathy was born in Valley City, on June 13, 1955, to Willis and Mavis (Anderson) Johnson. It was in Valley City where she grew up with her siblings: Bobbi, Teri, John, and Jeff. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and graduated from Valley City High School in 1973. She received her Associate of Arts degree in Business from Valley City State College.

Valley City was where she met and married the love of her life, Mark Joseph Nordeen; a marriage that lasted 45 years until Mark’s death in 2018. It was in Valley City where her first son, Joshua John was born. They grew in love as a family adding a daughter, Jamie Jo, and two more sons, Jeremy Joseph, and Jerred Jeffrey.

Kathy spent several summers managing the Valley City Dairy Queen for her parents before Mark took a teaching job in Nekoma, ND. Kathy loved children and was a stay-at-home mom, but she spent 25 years as a daycare provider; a career that started in Nekoma and continued after moving to Bismarck, ND. When her children were grown, she retired from daycare and worked at Bio LIFE for the last 16 years of her life. 

Kathy avidly watched her husband’s, children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events. Kathy loved playing softball, volleyball, and was an avid walker. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, and she was an adoring mother and grandmother to her four children and her four grandsons. Kathy and Mark loved spending their summers on the river in their pontoon, the two of them did some traveling together, but most importantly they enjoyed spending time with each other.

Kathy is survived by her children: Jamie of Salt Lake City, UT, Jeremy (Lindsy) of Minneapolis, MN, Jerred of Oklahoma City, OK, and her daughter-in-law, Shanna, of Farmington, MN; grandsons: Kirby (Joshua), Foster (Jeremy), and Khamari and Konnor (Jamie); siblings: Bobbi (Gary) Siegel, Hawley, MN, Teri (Terry) Feigitsch, Surrey, ND, John (Jan) Johnson, and Jeff (Lisa) Johnson both of Valley City, ND; brother-in-law Paul Nordeen and sisters-in law Lisa Nordeen and Ann Johnson, many nieces and nephews.

Kathy was preceded in death by her husband Mark, her son Joshua, and her parents, grandparents, and father and mother-in-law.