Norman Thorstenson, 1929-2021
Obituaries-Mobridge / Posted Jan 25, 2021 | 11:07 AM / 644 views
Funeral services for Norman Thorstenson, 91, of Selby will be at 10:30 AM, Saturday, January 23, 2021, at St. John Lutheran Church in Selby. Burial will be at the Selby Memorial Gardens under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be from 5-7 PM, Friday, with a prayer service at 7 PM at the church. Norman passed away, Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at the Walworth County Care Center in Selby.
Norman Dane “Norm” Thorstenson was born on August 21, 1929, in rural Selby, to August and Ida (Andersen) Thorstenson. Norm married Marcella “Sally” Eisemann on May 28, 1950, at Bethany Lutheran Church. They lived on a farm seven miles north of Selby.
In 1957 they purchased Stulken Implement, renamed it Thorstenson Implement, and built a home in Selby. Norm sold Minneapolis – Moline, Massy Ferguson and other short lines. He was the largest dealer in 1958 of Minneapolis – Moline in North America and second highest volume dealer for Massey in the region in the 1950’s. In the 1960’s Norm farmed in Saskatchewan and northern British Columbia as well as South Dakota. While farming in Canada, Norm piloted and owned a Cessna and another airplane that he enjoyed immensely. In 1964 he sold the implement shop, built a new home at the farm and operated Thorstenson Trucking and Sales, which is located on Highway 12&83 in Selby. As of 2001 he employed 25 people and was licensed in 49 states and seven Canadian Provinces. On May 21, 2010 he sold all his trucks and trailers except two (one day before his and Sally’s 60th wedding anniversary). On December 3, 2012, Norman began to operate Thorstenson Trucking again and began to mentor his grandson, Austin Simons, as manager. Today they have twenty trucks plus ten lease truck drivers.
In 1996 Norm and a group of investors formed the Selby Development Corporation. They built the Selby Super 8 now known as the Selby Motel. Years later an addition was added in for Time Out. In 1997 the corporation purchased the Hilltop Motel and later added several new rooms. Norman also owned the Berens Hotel and Café for a couple of days. In the 1950’s and 1960’s Norman and Elmer Schilling partnered to build several homes in Selby and sold them to individuals. He sponsored the Thorstenson Trucking Independent Basketball Team that all five sons and one son-in-law played on for several years.
In 1978 Norman was chosen as Man of the Year by the Selby Jaycees and was presented with a lifetime membership. He was vice president of Bethany Lutheran Church Council, a member of the Selby Lions for 20 years, past director of SD Corporation, past director of the SD Implement dealers, a director of the First National Bank of Selby, a member of the Selby Community Club, a board member of the Selby Development Inc, and a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Selby.
Norm and Sally had traveled in Europe, Northern Africa, Ireland, South America and every state of the US except Hawaii.
Norman is survived by his children, Angela Thorstenson, Leslie (Carlotta) Thorstenson, Trent (Bill) Thorstenson, Rory (Linda) Thorstenson, Deserae (Scott) Simons, Tone Thorstenson and son-in-law, Danny Coonrod, grandchildren and great grandchildren, Taeh (Greg) Holt, Dane (Mariah) Thorstenson and children Remi and Rayne, Darson Thorstenson and children, Rocklynn and Amina, Jeromy (Dawn) Thorstenson and children, Taryn, Taylor and Teagan, Casey Thorstenson and child, Courtney, Melissa Green, Casey (Britney) Brusseau and children, Rain, Alex and Arya, Krista (Chris) Hansen and child, Raif, Austin (Susie) Simons and children, Ali and Mia, Parker (Sarah) Simons, Daniel (Kamra) Coonrod and child, Bexley, brother, Lawrence, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Norman was preceded in death by his wife, Sally, sons, Albert and David, great grandson, Adam, sister, Margaret Dance, brothers, Calvin, August “Bud”, and Kenneth.
Because Norman was civic minded in lieu of flowers the family requests memorials directed to the Bethlehem Cemetery, Walworth County Care Center, Selby Lions Club, Selby Ambulance, Hiddenwood Sportmen’s Club or the Lake Hiddenwood Foundation.