BROOKINGS — Norma Lee Halverson Rabenberg, 91, formerly of Bancroft and De Smet, passed away Friday, October 16, 2020, at the Brookings Health System in Brookings.

She had been at the Estelline Nursing and Care Center in Estelline since January of 2020. Prior to that she was at Edgewood Vista Assisted Living in Brooking.

A private family funeral service is scheduled at 10 a.m. Wednesday, at the Osthus Funeral Home in De Smet, with burial to follow at the LeSeuer Cemetery in Bancroft. Pastor Marty Reynhout of Redwood Falls, Minn. will be officiating.

Norma was born at Bancroft, to Susie Williams Halverson and Alfred Halverson April 26, 1929.  

Norma graduated from Bancroft High School and attended Huron College where she majored in music, playing piano, organ, trumpet and singing soprano in college musicals. This was followed by her marriage to Clarence E. Rabenberg on September 18, 1949, and the beginning of their 65-year marriage and life on a farm near Bancroft.Lanette, Jerry and Glen were born of the marriage.

High points in Norma’s life included singing at Bethel MB Church at Yale, which the family attended from 1960 –2000. Clarence and Norma moved to De Smet in 2000 and began attending the De Smet Christian Missionary Alliance Church, where Norma participated musically by singing as well as occasionally playing the offertory during services. She had a wonderful gift and could play many hymns, one after the other, which people always enjoyed.  She also particularly enjoyed the Community Concert Series.

A little known fact is that Norma started the state 4-H dog competition in De Smet through the Bancroft 4-H club, which evolved to include many different counties, culminating in a state competition that continues at the State Fair to this day. She did this during the time she was raising a number of breeds of purebred, registered dogs.
Norma’s great enjoyment was her Saladmaster cookware sales. She was a master demonstrator and won many awards nationally, including several trips to Europe.

She made many friends while selling and looked forward to seeing them at her booth at the SD State Fair every year. Long after she had retired from sales and continuing to her passing Norma would talk animatedly about Saladmaster, previous sales and travels, and the many close friendships developed through this endeavor.

Norma Lee, as her oldest friends called her, loved her family, music, animals and traveling. She was always open to new things and stayed involved in life to the end.  She had a great sense of humor and was someone worth getting to know. Her strong faith and enjoyment of so many diverse things gave her great character and strength. She could be a force to be reckoned with.

Survivors include her children, Lanette (Dennis) Parise of Kirtland, Ohio; Glen Rabenberg of Bancroft and Yankton; Jerry (Mary) Rabenberg of Grand Rapids, Mich.; her grandchildren; from Lanette, Dr. Grant Sanders of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and Lana Sanders of Kirtland, Ohio, and from Jerry and Mary, Travis Rabenberg, of Grand Rapids, Mich.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Clarence; and her older brother, Darrell Halverson.

Donations and memorials may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, a Franklin Graham/Billy Graham ministry at www.samaritanspurse.org/donate or Samaritan’s Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, N.C. 28607.  

Condolences and correspondence may be sent to: Lanette Parise, 8539 Kirtland Chardon Road, Kirtland, Ohio 44094 or lparise@roadrunner.com

Favorite verse cited often: Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Favorite songs: “How Great Thou Art,” and “The Old Rugged Cross”
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Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite pastime: Playing hymns on the piano just before bed; Dad always loved sitting and listening.
One of her favorite activities: Driving fast
Favorite animal: Cats. Jerry called her the “Cat Whisperer.”
Favorite name to call people when they did something not-so-smart: “Potsy”

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