Norma Lea Knight

Norma Lea (Jipson) Knight, 91, passed away on March 22, 2023, at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA. She was born in Moneta, IA on September 6, 1931, to the late M. Duane and Edith (Hill) Jipson. Her family moved to Chokio, MN when she was 5 years old. She graduated from Chokio High School in 1949 and Fairview School of Nursing in Minneapolis in 1952.

     After graduating from nursing school, she worked at the hospital in Morris, MN before marrying Ronald Carlson of Spencer, IA. Norma raised 5 children while working as a nurse in a variety of capacities in Spencer. She was employed by Spencer Municipal Hospital, the office of Drs Jones, Fieselmann, Kelley & Hunziker, Eaton Corp., and Iowa Lakes Community College. She also owned and operated a gift shop on Grand Avenue in Spencer for a few years. She made time to volunteer at her children’s schools and at Grace United Methodist Church. She was also active in the local Republican party. After her children were grown, she moved to the Philadelphia area where she worked at Pennsylvania Hospital and started a business with her second husband, Charles Knight. They resided in Collingswood NJ for a few years and in Woodbury, NJ for 31 years, before moving to Danville, PA in 2019.

   Despite the hardships of the depression, WW II, and the brutal northern Minnesota weather, Norma fondly recalled her childhood, which she chronicled in her memoir, Chokio Memories. A talented seamstress, she enjoyed sewing, cross-stitch, and embroidery. Norma was an avid reader throughout her life, with a particular interest in history and biography. As a history buff, she enjoyed collecting antiques, particularly dishware. She also liked to travel and see new places, even if that meant a long drive with a car full of kids and sleeping in a tent. Her all-time favorite trip was hiking the Milford Track in New Zealand, something she said she was glad she did “while she still could.” She was also particularly fond of dogs. Her West Highland terrier, Finlay, brought her great joy.