Norman Neumann, 90, passed away Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, at Rolling Hills Nursing Home in Sparta.
He was born in Norwalk on Nov. 26, 1922, to Fred and Alma (Grill) Neumann. Norman married Patricia Sullivan on Sept. 12, 1945, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Sparta.
Norman started working for Lloyd (Swede) Drier while he was in high school. He showed Swede’s livestock in the high school fair, taking home blue ribbons. This was the start of their long-term friendship.
Norman served in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to 1946. He was a member of the American Legion Post 438. He farmed in the Norwalk area until a few years ago, when they moved to Sparta. He served on the Norwalk Creamery board and the Monroe County ASC Committee and was recognized as an FFA Outstanding Farmer at the Wisconsin State Fair in 1969.
Norman loved farming and his grandchildren. All it took was a phone call from one of his grandkids and he would be at a sporting event or a grandparent activity. Norman was a real people person; anyone he met soon became a friend.
He is survived by wife Patricia, along with his children: son Patrick (Gerry Burnham) and their children, Shawn, Mark (Ashley) and Daniel (Kristina); son Mike (Janis Putman) and their children, Lisa (Jared) Waas and John; son James (Karen Gnewikow) and their children, Sara, Emy and Andrew; daughter Ruth (Stanley) Zellmer and their children, Michelle (Chris) Larson and Jeff (Jenny); son Charlie (Cathy Hanson) and their children, Angie (Josh) Leisso, Amanda, Alex and Alan; son Steve (Sue Malzacher) and their children, Jenny (Tom) Ziegler, Ashley, and Kari; daughter Norma (Dennis) Steinhoff and their children, Kylie and Shane.
He is further survived by 19 great-grandchildren and his brother, Neal (Kay) Neuman of Findlay, Ohio.
Norman was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Freddie; an infant sister; two brothers, Bob and Claude; and sister-in-law, Joyce Neumann.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Rolling Hills for the loving care they gave Norman and the family.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Sparta, with Father John S. Manohar officiating. Burial with full military honors provided by American Legion Post 438 will be in St. Augustine’s Catholic Cemetery in Norwalk.
Family and friends are invited to call from 2-5 p.m. Sunday at the Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home, Sparta, and on Monday from 10 a.m. until time of services at the church. Online condolences may be offered at www.schanhoferfh.com.
The Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home in Sparta is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
