Clifford Martin Norell, 95

Blue Earth – Clifford Martin Norell and his brother Clayton were born on Sept. 23, 1927, in Brown County, Minnesota, to Martin and Ellen (Finstad) Norell. Martin and Ellen farmed near Comfrey. Tragically, Ellen passed away after the birth of Ellen May the next year. Martin was left to raise 20-month-old twin boys and a newborn baby daughter. With the help of family and friends in the Comfrey, Godahl, and Springfield area, Martin raised the kids.

Clifford attended Comfrey schools, served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in Korea, and then worked construction for Carlson Brothers and other employers, operating heavy equipment until his retirement after 17 years from the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative in Renville in 1992.

Clifford married LaVaune Kottom Hanson in 1964. LaVaune had two daughters and together they had one son, Peter Norell. Clifford and LaVaune divorced in 2010, having been separated for many years. Cliff was a life-long fisherman and caught many walleyes in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota lakes. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed watching the Vikings, playing cribbage and having morning coffee with friends at Kathy’s Place in Sacred Heart. In 2019 Clifford relocated from Sacred Heart to Blue Earth, so that stepdaughter Terri Hanson could care for him. After so many years of operating heavy equipment his knees gave out, and in 2020 he moved into St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center, where he suffered a stroke in October of 2022. The family is grateful for the wonderful care he received there.

Surviving are his son, Peter Norell; granddaughter, Alyssa Mackiney (Jack); his stepdaughters, Terri Hanson and Jacqui Dikken (Marvin); sister, Ellen Mae Amsden; many nieces and nephews and step-grandchildren.

Clifford was also preceded in death by his parents; twin brother, Clayton (Georgia); brother-in-law, Faye Amsden; nephew, Michael Norell and niece, Marian Norell.

Funeral services are at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Sacred Heart at 11 a.m. on May 8, 2023, with visitation there at 10:00 a.m. Following internment at the Our Saviors cemetery, lunch will be served at the church.