Norma E. Carlson, age 81 of Oakdale, MN, died peacefully Tuesday, August 13, 2019 with her loving family by her side.

Norma was born on October 19, 1937 in Chetek, Wisconsin; the daughter of John and Carmen Bauer. She was raised in Chetek where she graduated high school. In 1955, she was united in marriage to Philip Dean, and the couple were blessed with five children; Kevin, Debbie, Jeffrey, Juliene, and Karen. She loved being a homemaker and tending to her family. As the children grew older, she worked various jobs at JC Penny, Kmart, and Dorothy Ann Bakery. Sadly, Philip would precede her in death in 1985.

Norma lived life with her family and faith being first and foremost. Nothing gave her greater smiles than being around her grandchildren. She enjoyed eating out at Gilligan’s Restaurant having wing dings or seeing friends every week over a game of hand and foot. She would find love again and marry Theodore “Ted” Carlson in 1991. Together, they have made Oakdale their home ever since. Norma enjoyed playing the piano to her favorite songs, maintaining her flower gardens, and feeding the birds. She loved the challenge of a good jigsaw puzzle and would rarely miss her favorite show, The Young and the Restless. She raised her children in a loving Christian household and has been a longtime member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Oakdale.

She will remain in the hearts of her husband, Ted; children, Kevin (Tami) Dean of Cottage Grove; Debbie Kaeder of Oakdale, Jeffrey Dean of Vadnais Heights, Juliene Norma Dean (Mike) of West Lakeland, and Karen Sue Dean of Oakdale; Scott (Erica) Carlson of Rockford MN, Bryan (Amy) Carlson of Centerville; grandchildren, Amy, Mallory, Evan, Pamela, Heather, Kristina (Patrick), Andrea (LeRoy), Nicholas (Amanda), Nicole (Will), Jennifer (Andrew), Grant, Kaiya, Jared; great-grandchildren, Matthew, Madison, Adrienne, McKenna, Gatlin; sister, Deyon Ziehme of Eau Claire; and many other relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by her first husband, Philip Dean; her parents, John and Carmen (Belnap) Bauer; siblings, Mervin, Norman, “Gord;” and brother-in-law, Larry Ziehme.

Funeral service will be 11:00 AM Friday, August 16 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 6355 10th St. N, Oakdale, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at church Friday morning. Interment Union Cemetery with casketbearers being her grandchildren.