Nora Amanda Josephson was born Nov. 18, 1918 in Milnor, N.D. to Sam and Bertha (Underland) Bjorndal and died Jan. 3, 2011.

She spent most of her young life in Minnesota, where her family farmed. Following graduation from Sacred Heart High School in 1937, Nora worked in New York and put herself through beautician school.

In 1941, she came to Whidbey Island and began to work on the Black Ball ferry between Clinton and Mukilteo. She met Harry Josephson at a Scandinavian Fraternity meeting and married him in 1942. They farmed, were charter members of Trinity Lutheran Church, raised five children and were very active in the community.

Nora was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, son Norm, daughter Joan and grandson Ben. She is survived by Noreen (Jim) Forck of Brier; Dale (Melissa) Josephson of Las Vegas, Nev.; Roxann (Rich) Cannistra of Janesville, Wisc.; and daughter-in-law Jan Josephson of Olympia; seven grandchildren, Roberta (Dave) Hamilton, Chris (Dave) Fox, Terea (Mike) Fowler, Dan (Erin) Forck, Sam (Whitney) Forck, Alysa (Erik) Albertine, Reneé Cannistra; and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland.

Memorial donations are suggested to Trinity Lutheran Church, PO Box 97, Freeland, WA 98249 or Shriners Hospital for Children, 3101 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239.

Friends and family may also view the online obituary, and sign and leave messages at www.visserfuneralhome.com.