| . . . . in Memory of . . . . |
- Louise Nordhagen
- Funeral services for Louise Nordhagen were held at 2:00 PM Sunday, October 12, 2008. Pastor
Brandon Smithson and Ben Holt officiated at the service at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Westby;
interment was in McElroy Cemetery, west of Westby. Casketbearers were Keith Berezay, Brian
Downey, Cliff and Dick Johnson, Alan, Jeff, and Lanny Nordhagen, and Irving Wittmayer. Randy and
Ted Nordhagen served as ushers. Louise died at Sheridan Memorial Hospital in Plentywood
Wednesday morning; she was 85.
Anna Marie Louise Nordhagen – “Louise” to everyone (including herself!) – was born April 1, 1923
on the Divide County, North Dakota farm of her parents, Christ and Sena (Rasmussen) Madsen, 5
miles southeast of Westby, Montana. She was raised on the family farm, graduated from Westby
High School in 1941, and attended Kinman Business College in Spokane for a year. She returned
to Westby, where she taught commercial subjects (Typing, shorthand, bookkeeping, etc.) at Westby
High School for several years. She married Milo Nordhagen June 1, 1943, they have made their
home in Westby since. Besides her family, the center of Louise’s life was the Westby Assembly of
God Church, where she was the secretary/treasurer for 65 years, has been the church pianist
forever, and held every office in the church at one time or another! For over 20 years she worked for
the Westby Post Office as an on-call substitute and on Saturdays.
driving for people who couldn’t, and loved caring for people in any way she could.
her son, Mark, were among the most faithful fans of Westby High School sports, and was never known to have missed a basketball
game!
Louise is survived by Milo, her husband of 65 years, at home in Westby; and by four children: Arnold Nordhagen and his wife, Lucy, of
McNeal, Arizona; Peggy Downey and her husband Dennis Swanson, of Apple Valley, Minnesota; and Kenny and Mark, both of Westby.
She is also survived by 5 grandchildren: Arla Little, Jessica Nordhagen, Lisa Cannito, Shelly Recer, and Brian Downey; and 9 great-
grandchildren: Zoe, Leah, Anna, Grace, Madeline, Holly, Natalie, Cody, and Grady. Two sisters, Alice Wittmayer and Margaret Krowen
also survive. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Harold Madsen, sisters Elna Johnson and Lydia Madsen,
and an infant brother, Samuel.
Fulkerson Funeral Home of Plentywood has charge of arrangements.
| 1923 - 2008 |
Remembering Louise