Michael "Mike" James Norberg

The funeral service will be live-streamed at: www.ourlivingwater.org/mikenorberg

Mike Norberg, 82, of Willmar, passed away Wednesday, February 25th at Copperleaf in Willmar.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am, Tuesday, March 3rd at the Church of St. Mary in Willmar. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 pm Monday, March 2nd at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the church cemetery columbarium. Arrangements are entrusted to the Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar. Memorials are preferred to the Willmar Civic Scholarship Association for teacher education or the Kandiyohi County Historical Society.

Michael James Norberg was born on January 21, 1944, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the first son of Glenn and Evelyn (Libuda) Norberg. He lived in Columbia Heights and Spring Lake Park, Minnesota before moving to Sauk Lake north of Sauk Centre, Minnesota in 1952. He graduated, with honors, from Sauk Centre High School in 1962. In 1966, he graduated from St. Cloud State College with a B.S. in Comprehensive Chemistry and a teaching degree allowing him to teach all sciences for grades 7-12.

On November 19, 1966, Mike was married to Grace (Kelly) Gerads, and they made their first home in Raymond, Minnesota where he taught science for 5 years. In 1971, he started teaching science for Willmar Public Schools at the Junior High and later the Senior High. He retired from teaching in 2005 after teaching for 39 years.

Mike was an active union member with the Minnesota Education Association MEA (now known as Education Minnesota), the Willmar Education Association WEA (now known as Education Minnesota-Willmar), Central Lakes UniServ, and Central Lakes United.

He served as president of the WEA and Education Minnesota -Willmar for 19 years, Communications Chair for 25 years, Continuing Education Chair for 40 years, and was a contract negotiator.

Mike also worked as a part-time movie projectionist for Willmar movie theaters from 1973 to 2002. He liked to garden, take care of his home, lawn, and driveway. He was often found in his workshop building and fixing things. From 2016 to 2024, he volunteered at the Kandiyohi County Historical Society, transferring birth and death records from microfilm to printed formats to improve access for genealogical history. Mike researched his own family ancestry and was proud of the Norberg-Libuda Family Tree and History Book he created.

He spent his life loving his wife and family, helping teachers, the teaching profession, students, and friends. Mike will be remembered for all his dedication to education. His sarcastic remarks, dad jokes, and little smile will not be forgotten.

Mike is survived by his loving wife, Kelly, and his four children, Jay (Sandra) Norberg of Pipestone, MN, Kyle (Nikki) Norberg of Sioux Falls, SD, Jodi (Cory) Backes of New London, MN, and Scot (Miranda) Norberg of Willmar, MN. He had 11 grandchildren - Zachary (Sydney), Whitney (Mason), Anna (Tate), Kayla (Jared), AJ (McKayla), Cody, Mason, Karlee, Alexis, Brynn, Landyn and 3 great-grandchildren - Selah, Samuel, and a great-granddaughter due in August.

He was preceded in death by his parents in 1981, and one younger brother Duane in 2013.