Kenneth Norquist, age 95, of Isanti, died August 29, 2016 at his home. The funeral service will be held at 2 P.M. on Sunday, September 4th at Elim Baptist Church in Isanti with a visitation 1 hour before the service at church. There will also be a visitation from 5 -7 P.M. on Saturday, September 3rd at our Isanti location.
Kenneth Warren Hilmer Norquist was born on January 7, 1921 on the family farm in North Branch, Minnesota to Hilmer and Esther (Bjorklund) their first born son. He graduated from North Branch High School in 1939. He graduated from Bethel Junior college in 1941. From there Kenneth went on to the University of Minnesota where he earned a BA. In 1945 Kenneth earned a BD from Bethel Seminary, he also earned a Masters Degree from the University of Stockholm, Sweden and further graduate study in Tuebingen and Heidelberg Universities of Germany.
In 1936 Kenneth was baptized in Fish Lake by Pastor Roger Goodman. On June 5, 1945 he was ordained in Harris Baptist Church. Kenneth is a member of Elim Baptist Church of Isanti. Kenneth worked different places. He was Pastor at Eastern Heights Baptist Church in St. Paul, was director of Amerika Haus, American Military Government in Heidelberg, Germany. Kenneth also taught at Bethel College and Seminary. In 1950 he was sent by the Baptist General Conference and the Baptist World Alliance to Germany to start Refugee Relief which included helping build Baptist Churches in bombed out cities. He worked there for five years. Kenneth also taught at College of Marine, California and Manchester College, Indiana. He also worked for the Insurance companies Ministers Life and New York Life. In 1970 Kenneth founded a mission for foreign speaking Merchant Marine in Long Beach California and continued to work there until the end of 1988.
In 1983 Kenneth received the German Federal Cross of Merit from the President of the Federal Republic of Germany for the refugee relief work in Germany and the Seaman’s Mission in California.
In the fall of 1987, Kenneth was called to Cambridge, Minnesota to teach in the Community College history, philosophy and religion. He retired at the end of 2004 at almost 84 years old. Kenneth passed away on August 29, 2016 at home while under hospice care.
Kenneth is preceded in death by parents, Hilmer and Esther (Bjorklund) Norquist; former wife, Gladys; daughter, Heidi; son, Sven Olaf and grandson Clinton.
He is survived by his wife, Elisabeth (Kempf) Norquist; son, Vaughn Norquist both of Isanti, Minnesota; daughter, Ramona Norquist Knight and husband, George Allan Knight, grandson, Allan Samuel Knight and wife, Andrea Brizendine, great-grandchildren, Aaron and Clara Knight, all of Sacramento, California; granddaughter, Vicki Michetti and husband, John Michetti, great-granddaughters, Amanda, Leah and Elisabeth Michetti of Springfield, Virginia; granddaughter, Joanne Harnagel of Poulsbo, Washington; brother, Ellwood Norquist of Tucson, Arizona; and other relatives and many friends in USA, Canada, Brazil and Europe.
Kenneth loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; he loved his family and friends and loved to be with the young and old as much as possible. Throughout the years he kept in contact with many former Sailors in Germany.
Memorials are preferred to:
Baptist World Alliance
405 North Washington Street
Falls Church, Virginia 22046, USA
For World Aid
Kenny was always such a delight. The first I knew of his existence was hearing him speak at a cousin’s funeral. Getting acquainted, and later visiting him and Elisabeth at the old Anderson homestead on the Rum River, I could only wish I had been one of his students. His life’s memories included stories of my own mother, the oldest of the Anderson-offspring cousins; even though Kenny was a cousin-in-law (his aunt being married to my grandmother’s beloved brother Ephraim Anderson), he was obviously one of the bunch of cousins. He couldn’t have found a more precious wife than Elisabeth. We love you so much, sweetheart, and share your grief. But, we know the blessed Hope of the resurrection and know Kenny and all his stories are safe in the arms of Jesus. As the song goes “It won’t be long!” and we’ll be reunited at the Lord’s heavenly family reunion. God bless you, Elisabeth, for your loving care of Kenny. We pray you will actually experience the Comforter’s presence as arms around you and a shoulder to lean on. To God be the glory!