Norma Pauline Bockes

Norma P. Bockes, age 94, of Canby, Minnesota, passed away Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at The Estates of St. Louis Park Nursing Home. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at the Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby, with Rev. Levi Bollerud officiating. Visitation will be held on Friday, one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Canby City Cemetery. Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel, is entrusted with the arrangements.
Norma Pauline (Thompson) Bockes, daughter of Alice (Beal) Thompson and LeRoy J Thompson, was born Dec. 5, 1930, on a farm northeast of Porter, Minnesota. She attended grades 1-8 at Porter School District 83. She graduated from Canby High School in 1948. Norma rode the Porter school bus in 1948-1949 to attend the last Teacher's Training School in Canby, taught by Lillian Monson. Norma taught in District 63 during the 1949-1950 school year. 
Norma married Lester Bockes in 1950 at Porter Lutheran Church, and they moved to an apartment in Canby. She continued teaching in her 2nd year in District 27, closer to Canby.
Norma became a member of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in 1950 and was a member of the church choir, as well as a Sunday School teacher. She was also a member of the VFW and the Legion Auxiliary, holding the positions of President and Secretary during those years. Additionally, she sang with the Marshall Sweet Adelines for several years. Norma was also active in ARC for years and was a wonderful advocate for her daughter, Holly.   
Norma and Lester had three daughters: Lonnie, Jerilyn and Holly. She finished out the year 1954-1955 teaching for Eileen Jacobson. She taught until she started her family. In 1967, she returned to work as a Para-Professional at Canby Elementary School, where she remained until 1998, when she retired.
In December 1989, Norma and Lester divorced. She continued to enjoy all the things she loved, such as playing cards, dancing, reading and journaling, singing, walking, and traveling with friends and family. Norma was so grateful to God for being able to share many years with her wonderful daughters and their husbands. She had an infectious smile and a kind, loving personality; everyone who knew her loved her, especially her students. 
She was preceded in death by her parents, LeRoy and Alice (Beal) Thompson; her stepmother, Edith (Lenander) Thompson; one brother, Wilbur, who died in infancy; her brother, Herbert; Lester; and two sisters-in-law, Bonnie (Charles) Pearson and Doreen (Verle) Benson.   
Norma is survived by her children: Lonnie K. (Lonnie W.) Leasman, Jerilyn (Jerry) Munsterman and Holly Bockes; grandchildren: Lori (Mark) Strelow, Teri (J) Doehring, Kristi (Curtis) Terry, Staci (Kevin) Smith, Calli Munsterman, and Zachary (Alex) Munsterman; sister-in-law, Elizabeth (Ivan) Dorn; brother-in-law, Charles Pearson; 15 great grandchildren, seven great-great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Blessed be her memory.