In Memory of Norma E. Auen

Norma E. Auen, age 91, of Ida Grove, Iowa, passed away on Monday, November 2, 2020, at the Odebolt Specialty Care Center of Odebolt, Iowa.

A Private Family Graveside Service will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2020, at the Ida Grove Cemetery of Ida Grove, Iowa. Pastor Luann Benge will officiate. The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Ida Grove, Iowa, is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online at www.christensenvanhouten.com. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, masks are encouraged and social distancing rules apply.

Norma Elaine (Kinzer) Auen, the youngest daughter of John and Florence (Shearer) Kinzer, was born May 4, 1929, at her parents’ farm in Hayes Township south of Ida Grove, Iowa. Norma attended nearby Hayes Country School and graduated from Ida Grove High School with the class of 1947. 

Norma worked at the Pioneer Record office for a time. On March 15, 1951, she married Mearl “Jack” Auen of Ida Grove. The couple was blessed with one child, Mary, in 1954. Jack passed away suddenly on February 6, 1957 and had been working for Midwest Industries at the time. After Mary started school, Norma worked for Howard Penney, the town’s photographer. In the 1970s and 80s, she could be found behind the meat counter at John’s Grocery Store. For a time, Norma wrote a column for the local paper on historical items of interest from the newspaper archives, compiling these into a book at the time of the sesquicentennial.

Norma enjoyed gardening, both vegetables and flowers. She was especially fond of tending to her orchids. Norma had other pastimes including making things, scrapbooking, taking piano and accordion lessons, and caring for her cats. She traveled with the bank’s senior travel club to places like Ashfall in Nebraska, the Glenn Miller Festival in Clarinda, and following her friends in the Melodiers band. Norma also liked knitting and crocheting. Many relatives received knitted afghans for wedding presents. More recently, crocheted blankets were donated to the women’s shelter in Sioux City, Iowa.

Left to cherish her memory include her daughter Mary Auen of Dubuque, IA; brothers-in-law Ivan (Darlene) Auen of Odebolt, IA, Herb Auen of Sac City, IA and Wally Auen of Denison, IA; cousin Susan Streck of Ida Grove, IA; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. 

She was preceded in death by her husband Mearl “Jack” Auen; her parents John and Florence Kinzer; and sister Mildred (Herbert) Pearson.