Surnames: Norks, Posda, Depa, Cox, Kaltenback, Wertepny, Connolly, Arndt, Simmons, Kaszubowski, Wiklanski, Filipek, Andronowitz, Zielke, Apfelbeck

----Source: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark Co., WI.) October 29, 2008

Norks, Frances A. (8 August 1930 - 26 October 2008)

Frances A. Norks, age 78, of Greenwood, passed away on October 26, 2008, surrounded by her husband and family at Just Like Home in Colby, Wis.

She was born on August 8, 1930, in Thorp, WI to Paul and Anna (Posda) Depa. She received her education at Red Brick School, rural Thorp, and graduated from Thorp High School in 1948. After graduating from high school, she moved to Chicago and worked for a short time at Motorola, before pursuing her career as a hairdresser.

She was united in marriage to Mike Norks on June 27, 1953, in Chicago, IL. They made their home at the Norks family farm in Greenwood, WI. There, they raised six daughters and one son. Frances was a member of St. Bernard-St. Hedwig Catholic Church and its PCCW, a former member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenwood, and St. Ann’s Society. Frances loved life and the time spent with her family. She had many interests including gardening, fishing, sewing, board games (especially Scrabble), playing cards, and going to the casinos.

She is survived by her husband, Mike, of Greenwood; her children: Nancy (Milton) Cox of Olalla, WA, Barbara Kaltenback of Elk Grove, IL, Sharon (Jeff) Wertepny of Des Plaines, IL, Karen Connolly of McHenry, IL, Darlene "Cha" Arndt of Tacoma, WA, Marlene "Tina" (Dave) Simmons of Chippewa Falls, WI, and Michael Norks of Greenwood; and 18 grandchildren.

Frances is further survived by her siblings: Marcella (Ted) Kaszubowski of Thorp, Juliana Wiklanski of Petoskey, MI, Helen (Walter) Filipek of Niles, IL, Pauline Andronowitz of Huntington, CT, Louis (Bernice) Depa of Thorp, Anton (Joanne) Depa of Kenosha, Peter (Alvina) Depa of Stanley, John (Marie) Depa of Niles, IL, and Joseph (Joan) Depa of St. John, IN.

Frances is preceded in death by her parents; three grandchildren: Eric, Nicole, and Melanie Arndt; one son-in-law, Patrick Connolly; two brothers: Andrew Depa and Frank Depa; and one sister, Agnes Zielke.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 30, 2008, at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Thorp. Father Keith Apfelbeck will officiate, and burial will follow at St. Bernard’s Catholic Cemetery in Thorp. Visitation will be held at Thorp Funeral Home on Wednesday, October 29, 2008, from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m., with a 7:00 p.m. Rosary service, and at the church on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. until time of service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to St. Bernard-St. Hedwig PCCW.

Thorp Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.