Norman O. Hilleren

Norman O. Hilleren, age 88, of Red Wing, formerly of Bay City, died Saturday, February 9, 2008, at Red Wing Health Center. He was born on July 7, 1919, in DeGraff, Minnesota, to Jens and Alma (Landmark) Hilleren. He was raised on a farm near Benson, Minnesota. He was a 1937 graduate of McIntosh High School and moved to Red Wing in 1939. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1940 to 1945. He wrote a column entitled "Observations of a Private" for the Republican Eagle in 1941. He married his longtime sweetheart, Ruth Hanson on April 16, 1944 and they lived in south Minneapolis, later moving to Edina, Minnesota. In 1973 they built a home overlooking Lake Pepin. He attended the University of Minnesota in pre-law and journalism graduating in June, 1949. He established the Edina Morningside Courier in 1951; joined Ridder Publications (now St. Paul Pioneer Press) in St. Paul in 1953, retiring from there in 1969. In 1950, he began working with his parents, running the Hilleren Rest Home in Red Wing. A licensed Nursing Home Administrator in Minnesota and Wisconsin, he built the River Falls Nursing Home in 1959 and the Red Wing Health Center in 1965. He was an active fellow in the American College of Nursing Home Administrators, serving as Governor for Region VIII and as a member of the National Board of Governors. He was a member of First Lutheran Church where he served on the church council and the stewardship committee; a member of Red Wing Kiwanis and American College of Health Care Administrators. He enjoyed spending time at the cabin with his family, as well as fishing, hunting and gardening.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth; six children, Julie (Richard) Edstrom of Stillwater, Lorinda "Lori" (Dwight) Austin of Hudson, Wisconsin, Norman "Ned" (Karen) Hilleren of Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, Sue (Carl) Warren of River Falls, Wisconsin, David (Tracy) Hilleren of Orlando, Florida and Peter Hilleren of Brooklyn, New York; thirteen grandchildren and eight great grandchildren; sister, Marilyn Johnson of Gig Harbor, Washington. He was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Zoelle Warren and one brother, J. Porter Hilleren.

Funeral will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Lutheran Church with Revs. Karen Pahl and Carroll Marohl officiating. Burial with military honors will be in the Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn chapel and at the church for one hour prior to the service. Memorials are preferred to the Red Wing Health Center Foundation of the church. Pallbearers will be Brett, Lane and Matthew Edstrom, Bill Arnold, Andrew Austin and Noah Warren. Honorary pallbearers will be Amy Lengsfeld, Heather Hilleren, Jennifer Simonson, Kristina Novek, Sarah Olson, Nolan and Carter Hilleren.