Gladylou "Lu" Rose Barnes-Norgaard

     Gladylou Rose “Lu” Barnes Norgaard, the daughter of Arthur and Sybil (Wilson) Mills, was born August 3, 1927 in River Falls, WI.  She attended school in Wisconsin and graduated from New Richmond, WI in 1945.  She attended Northwestern College in Minneapolis, MN, where she received her BA degree.  She later took advanced courses from ISU in Ames, IA and Wartburg College in Waverly, IA.

     Lu married Dean Lavern Barnes on October 4, 1952 in Hastings, MN.  She had teaching positions in New Hampton, Algona, LeMars and finally Spencer, Iowa in 1967, where she taught until she retired in 1985.  She spent a total of 30 years in the teaching profession.  Lu was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Spencer, where she held several offices and enjoyed singing in the choir.  She was a member of the Spencer Hospital Auxiliary and a member of several school associations, state and local.  Lu enjoyed painting on canvas, crafts, gardening, sewing and reading.  She attended many sports events with her husband, playing golf when health permitted.  She especially enjoyed road trips to all 50 states and some trips overseas with her husband, Dean, family and friends.  Most of all she enjoyed times spent with her family.  Dean passed away on March 6, 2006.

     Lu married Alvin Norgaard on May 1, 2010 in Los Angeles, CA.  After their marriage, they lived in Spencer, Iowa.

     Lu passed away at her home in Spencer, Iowa on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at the age of 91.  She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dean; one son, Larry; four brothers: Harry, Bill, George and Victor Mills and three sisters: Elisabeth Harris, Isobel Haas and Iris Wares.

     Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Alvin Norgaard of Spencer; one son, Dr. David Barnes and his wife, Mary of Pella, Iowa and their two daughters: Dr. Kelsey Barnes and Dr. Rachel Browne; one daughter, Dr. Ann Johannsen and her husband, Jess of Claremont, CA and their two children: Lacy (James) Wright and Tyler Johannsen; four grandchildren; other relatives and friends.