Norma Tiahrt

Memorial service will be held 11:30 am, Saturday, January 9, 2016 at Tieszen Memorial Home Chapel for Norma J. Tiahrt, 84, who passed away Wednesday, January 6, 2016. Norma Jean Jacobson was born July 6, 1931 to Oscar and Ruth (Gange) Jacobson in their family home on their farm near Worthing, SD. Norma attended Worthing School all 12 grades of her elementary and high school education. Norma attended college at Northwestern Bible College in Roseville, MN. Following graduation, she taught country school south of Worthing from 1952 – 1954. In 1955 she fulfilled her dream to attend Seattle Pacific College, Seattle, WA for one year which completed a second college degree. When Norma was a youth she attended Vacation Bible School in Worthing. It was put on by Northwestern College students from Roseville, MN. That week she received Jesus Christ as her Savior and her life was changed forever. She began to get a vision for reaching others for Christ and that was her motivation for loving and helping people the rest of her life. In April of 1962 at the time of the Seattle World's Fair, her family waved good-bye as Norma left for Taiwan where she spent 15 years as a missionary to the people she came to love so much. She continued enjoying the friendships and culture she shared over those years, and she never quit speaking humorous tidbits of the Mandarin Chinese language. After she returned to the U.S., she continued teaching school, first in Elk Point and then in the Marion School. She became very attached to countless children in her many years there. Even in the final months of her life she continued her friendships with children that knew her. When she returned from Taiwan, Norma met Harry Tiahrt at a church singles Bible Study in Sioux Falls. They married July 21, 1979. They enjoyed rural farm life for 25 years until they built their dream retirement home in Marion. Harry went to be with the Lord in April 2008. They had celebrated 28 years of marriage. Norma moved to Tieszen Assisted Living in 2014 and as her health waned, she moved to the Nursing Home. Norma never forgot her Norwegian roots and loved making krum kake and lefse for everyone who she knew would love it. With help, she sent her lefse to all her family the last Christmas she was in her house. Until that time, at 82, she also remained active in the South Dakota Rosemalers Association, attending classes and training each summer. Rosemaling was her best loved hobby and she made many Norwegian friends through those classes. Her special accomplishment was to paint a large rosemaled plate, a gift in honor of the 100th anniversary of Skrefsrud Lutheran Church, rural Beresford, which was her childhood church, built on land donated by her father. Perhaps the impact of her life could be summed up in her 'gift of giving'. Norma was constantly trying to encourage people in meaningful ways or to help meet a specific need in people's lives. She gave of herself most of all, and her last two years were very frustrating for her to be limited in what she could do with and for others. Yet, everyone realized that she continued to touch their lives in so many ways. Her impact will continue to be felt in the lives of her family and friends as she was such a beautiful example of service to others. Norma leaves behind her brothers: Robert (Darlene C), and Delwin (Ingrid) Jacobson; sisters-in-law: Phyllis Jacobson and Darlene J. Jacobson; 10 nieces and nephews: Laurel, Nancy, Doug, Robert, James, Ron, Steve, Jon, Troy and Darin; many grand-nieces and grand-nephews and their families, and a host of friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Harry, and two brothers, Dale and Verlyn. God bless her memory.