Thoralf Nodland

Thoralf (Tory) Nodland, 81, died Thursday March 18, 2004 at Lee Memorial Hospital in Ft. Myers, Florida. He was born on Christmas Day, 1922 in Kenyon, Minnesota, one of 6 children born to Solvie and Josephine Nodland.

Tory moved often during his younger years, farming in Minnesota and Iowa. He spent his school years in Eagle Grove, Iowa, graduating in 1940. Tory often said he was “5 feet 18 inches tall” and took advantage of his height by playing center on his high school basketball team. He met his life’s partner, Alta Bertilson (4 foot 14 inches) in Dows, Iowa, where his family farmed near hers. They married on June 23, 1945. Tory and Alta farmed near Corwith, Iowa for a short time until settling on a farm near Kanawha, Iowa for many years. He served on the Iowa Farm Bureau Board of Directors during that time. Their four children were born during these years as well.
In 1963 Tory left farming, moving to Spirit Lake, Iowa to sell Farm Bureau Insurance. Shortly, he found his true calling -- developing land into subdivisions and building homes in the Lakes area over the next 41 years. He was active and ever optimistic, enthusiastic community member in the Spirit Lake belonging to Grace Lutheran Church, Rotary Club, the local coffee shop Round Table and was a charter member of the University of Okoboji Foundation.

Tory was a loving and devoted husband to Alta, his wife of 58 years and a wonderful father and role model for Ann Schrader and her husband Joe of Edina, Minnesota, David Nodland and his wife Julie of Spirit Lake, Iowa, Helen Nodland of Chicago, Illinois, and Jim Nodland and his wife Marti of Spirit Lake, Iowa. Tory loved his 9 grandchildren (Andy, Nick, Maureen, Peter, Mary, Nathan, Michael, Katie and Rebecca) and 2 great-grandchildren (Alec and Jackson) and was vitally interested in their life’s goals. All survive Tory along with his sisters Bernice Glestad and Segney Crement and brother Jory Nodland.

A visitation for sharing memories of Tory with the family will be held from 3-7 pm on Friday, April 9th at Turner Funeral Home in Spirit Lake, Iowa. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Grace Lutheran Church on Saturday, April 10th at 11:00 am followed by a luncheon in the church community room.

Tory supported Oaxaca Street Children Grassroots of Mexico during his life and the family will donate undesignated memorial gifts to this wonderful goal of reducing poverty through learning.

IN LOVING MEMORY
TORY NODLAND
December 25, 1922
March 18, 2004

CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICE
Grace Lutheran Church
Spirit Lake, Iowa
Saturday, April 10, 2004 11:00 AM

OFFICIANT
Rev. David Bergstrom

SPECIAL MUSIC
Pie Jesu
Douglas Nodland, Maureen Nodland, Alish Muller
Amazing Grace
Douglas Nodland
Accompanist and Organist
Priscilla Waitek

INTERMENT
Memory Gardens Cemetery
Spirit Lake, Iowa
Prior to service for family

 

THE DASH

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on his tombstone
From the beginning...to the end.
He noted that first came his date of birth
And spoke the following dates with tears.
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That he spent alive on earth...
And only those who loved him
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own;
The cars...the house...the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard...
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show our appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy's being read
With your life's actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?