Marie Norlen

E. Marie Norlen, 95, a long-time resident of Moline, died on Monday, July 19, 2021, at her home in Seattle, Washington. On September 11, 2021, there will be a graveside service at 10:45 a.m. at Riverside Cemetery, Moline, followed by a celebration of Marie’s life, beginning at noon at the Quad City Botanical Center in Rock Island. Memorials may be made to the Friends of the Moline Public Library Foundation.

Marie was born on September 23, 1925, in Geneseo, Illinois, to Berndt Albert Nordstrom and Alice Ione (Westlund) Nordstrom. She graduated from Geneseo High School at age 16, attended the American Institute of Commerce, and studied at Augustana College.

She married Carl Martin Norlen of Moline in 1946. Carl and Marie were members of Salem Lutheran Church, Moline.

Marie worked from the time she graduated from high school, with only a ten-year break for child rearing. She enjoyed her working life. Beginning in 1957, she worked for the Council of Churches of Rock Island County. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, she was Secretary to the President at Southeast National Bank. After that, Marie worked at the Deere & Company Administrative Center as a secretary in Insurance Accounting. After early retirement from Deere in 1986, she took on numerous temporary assignments through personnel agencies and worked for several churches. She also did volunteer work for other non-profit organizations. For many years, she indexed daily articles from the Moline Daily Dispatch for the Moline Public Library. She did data entry for the Two Cylinder Club at the Deere & Company Archives. She also served on the board of the Moline Public Library. In later years she volunteered at the archive of the Vasa Order of America, Bishop Hill Lodge; Two Rivers YMCA; and Helen Keller Services.

Marie traveled to more than 30 countries, some more than once. She also led bus tours to destinations throughout the U.S. and Canada for Pearsall Tours and AAA.

She enjoyed gardening, doing daily crossword puzzles, and attending concerts of both the Quad City Symphony and the Seattle Symphony.

Always an avid reader, later in life Marie decided to return to college to complete her degree. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Illinois University in 2007 at the age of 82.

She lived in Moline until moving to Seattle, Washington in 2013 to be nearer to family.

She is survived by her three children and their spouses: Linda Norlen (Andrew Davidson), Thomas Norlen (Mary Ellen Norlen), and Paul Norlen (Ari Santander); five grandchildren: Amanda Oliva (Jose Edgardo Oliva), Tracy Norlen, Nick Norlen (Lindsay Norlen), Carl Norlen (Chioma Enweasor), and Isabel Norlen; and five great-grandchildren: Colin Oliva, Giana Oliva, and Camila Oliva [children of Jose and Amanda Oliva]; and Ellie Norlen and Martin Norlen [children of Nick and Lindsay Norlen].

Marie was preceded in death by her husband, Carl (1919–1978); her brother and sister-in-law Ralph and Mary Nordstrom; her sister and brother-in-law Elna and Bennie Johnson; and her brother Robert Nordstrom.

Memorials may be made to the Friends of the Moline Public Library Foundation, 3210 41st Street, Moline, Illinois 61265.
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