Norma Adele Ames

Norma Adele Olsen Ames passed away peacefully at her home on February 14. She was the youngest of four, born to Clarence and Ellen Olsen. Raised on a farm in Mendota Heights, she graduated from South St. Paul High School and St. Cloud State University and became an elementary teacher before marrying Greg Esch and starting a family.

Norma was, in every sense, our Queen of Hearts. She leaves behind a legacy of joy, resilience, and enduring love.

One week before her passing, she celebrated her 90th birthday surrounded by the family she loved so fiercely. She spent her life holding court in the very best way: listening closely, laughing often, telling a good story, and making everyone feel like they mattered.

Norma loved people. Wherever she was, she gathered friends with ease. Community wasn't something she waited to find, it was something she created. Through her gift of care and thoughtfulness, she left a lasting mark on all of us.

She was fun. Her wit stayed sharp to the very end and she delivered a punchline with perfect timing. She loved playing cards with friends and family. She had a remarkable knack for winning — even when she could barely see the cards themselves. She loved to dance and took tap lessons in retirement. Theater, music, and singing with Sweet Adelines brought her joy, but it was always the friendships within those circles that mattered most.

She loved hamburgers without apology and was affectionately known as "take-out grandma." Still, she made a legendary beef stroganoff and packed more school lunches for her five children than anyone can count. She adored her dogs — Penny, Skippy, Libby, and Beau.

She gracefully taught us how to let go. An avid reader, when her eyesight declined, she adapted without complaint, turning to audiobooks and podcasts, always curious, always learning. Norma began her days with prayer time and scripture. Her faith was steadfast and central to her life. She lived it daily through kindness, forgiveness, and quiet trust. It steadied her through both joy and hardship.

Behind her lighthearted spirit was real courage. Norma quietly navigated a lifelong battle with depression, facing it with grit and determination. She never allowed it to define her or diminish her love for her family. She was a real survivor.

Norma was a devoted mother. Keeping this crew in line required stamina and resolve, and she had both. She was our steady matriarch. Her family made her proud. To keep things interesting, she gave each of us the long-standing title of "favorite."

Norma is preceded in death by her parents Clarence and Ellen Olsen, siblings Delta Perron Hoeppner (Walter, Arnold), Martha Lind (Stan), George Olsen (Jeanette), infant daughter Jayne Marie, Greg Esch father of her six children, Robert L. Ames the love of her life, and countless relatives and dear friends.

She is survived by sons Paul (Debbie), Tom (Kristen), John (Marinn), Dan (Elizabeth), and daughter Julie (John Young); grandchildren Nick, Elijah, Jacob (Tracie), Samuel, Olivia, Isabel, Isaac, Alexandra, Evan, and Ava, and great grandchildren Adalynn, Blakely, and Maverick.

A funeral mass will be held at 11 AM on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at Guardian Angels Catholic Church, 8260 4th Street N, Oakdale, MN 55128, with visitation beginning at 10 AM. A gathering with storytelling will follow the mass. Memorials preferred to Open Arms, https://www.openarmsmn.org/ or MN Society for the Blind, https://mn.gov/deed/ssb/involve/

All who met her felt heard, valued, and loved. That is the legacy she leaves. Strength paired with joy. Humor in hard moments. Faith that steadied. Love that endured.

Long live our Queen of Hearts.