Charles Leal Norman, 98, passed away peacefully with his family at his side on July 11, 2019 at North Shore Living in Grand Marais. He would have been 99 years old on July 24.
Charles, as his family always called him, was the second child born to Erben and Esther Edblad Norman on their small farm in Shevlin, Minn. on July 24, 1920. In 1931 his family moved back to the Norman farm along the Rum River north of Cambridge, Minn. He graduated from Cambridge High School in 1938.
Following high school Charles helped on the farm for several years and then enrolled in a machine shop course at Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis, which he completed in 1941. Charles was employed by Northern Pump until enlisting in the Navy in August 1942.
Charles was very proud of his service in the U.S. Navy, serving most of his enlistment aboard the USS Nashville in the South Pacific. He kept a journal and later wrote up his experiences, including a kamikaze attack and being part of the crew that was responsible for returning General MacArthur to the Philippines. Charles was honorably discharged in December 1945.
After several years alternating between work on the farm and in Minneapolis, Charles moved back to Minneapolis in 1949 and began working at Johnson Hydraulic, Inc. During this time Chuck met Alice Johnson, who soon became the love of his life and they were married on Sept. 9, 1950.
In 1956 Chuck began work at Toro Co. in Bloomington, Minn. where he remained until his retirement in 1986. Most of those 30 years were spent creating the first full-size working models of institutional lawn care equipment, such as used on golf courses and along highways. Chuck also loved to create his own lawnmowers or snow blowers, go-carts, etc. out of found parts or parts he made himself. His kids thought that Chuck’s best creation ever was the Thunderbird – a child-sized, gas-powered car complete with body, upholstered seats, and a pull-behind trailer!
Travel was something that Chuck and Alice enjoyed throughout their marriage. They started trailer camping in the early 1960s and continued until they were in their mid-80s. During those 40 years they visited most of the states in the U.S., including two trips to Alaska, as well as each of the Minnesota state parks. Chuck and Alice’s legacy lives on as their children and grandchildren continue to enjoy exploring the U.S. by trailer as well.
Chuck was a man of many talents, and seemed to be able to make or fix anything. In addition to the mechanical wonders he created, he enjoyed leatherwork, blacksmithing, metal work and welding, and was an accomplished woodworker and wood turner.
Chuck enjoyed various forms of art as well, such as sketching and painting, but where he really excelled was in woodcarving and he created dozens of beautiful woodcarvings over his lifetime. Chuck carved many kinds of animals and birds, but his favorite subject was always horses.
In 2012 Chuck and Alice moved out of their south Minneapolis home of 62 years to the Augustana Apartments near downtown Minneapolis. As Alice’s health deteriorated and dementia progressed they moved to an assisted living unit at Augustana where Alice passed away on May 11, 2016, four months short of their 66th wedding anniversary.
Following Alice’s death, Chuck moved to Carefree Assisted Living in Silver Bay. After suffering a broken hip he was transferred to North Shore Living in Grand Marais in November 2016, where he resided until his passing.
Services were held in Minneapolis and Chuck was interred in Fort Snelling Cemetery.
Chuck is survived by children Greg (Bettijo) Norman, Richfield, Minn.; Cindy (John) Muus, Grand Marais; Tim (Diane) Norman, Tofte; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to the staff of North Shore Living for the kind, patient and compassionate care they provided for our father and grandfather.
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