Obituary of Laverne Dahl Norquist Holmes

Laverne Dahl Norquist Holmes (September 26, 1936-August 9, 2021)

Laverne Dahl Norquist Holmes passed away peacefully in St. Paul, Minnesota on August 9, 2021 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.  Laverne Dahl was born on September 26, 1936 in Devils Lake, North Dakota, to Steve and Inez Dahl.  She grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. She attended Concordia College and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in nursing. She was a member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor society.  In 1959 she married Chuck Norquist and the family lived in Bloomington, Minnesota.  She married Jim Holmes in 1999.

Laverne had a long career as a registered nurse. She worked at the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Masonic Home and at the neonatal intensive care unit at Fairview Southdale Hospital.  She played violin for 40 years for the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra and was known for her warm personality, her Christian faith, and making hundreds of afghans for family and friends.  She was a long time member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

Laverne is survived by her four children John (Gena) Norquist of Fairfax, Virginia; Jim of Bloomington; Susan Lundgren of Eagan; and Sarah (Guy) Distad of Valencia, California; grandchildren David (Meghan) Norquist; Kari (Brandon) Dodd; Carl Norquist; Reid Lundgren; Jack Lundgren; Luke Distad; Erik Distad; great-grandson Caleb Norquist; and many other friends and family members. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Bob Dahl; sister-in-law Marilyn Dahl; first husband Chuck Norquist; second husband Jim Holmes; and son-in-law Ross Lundgren.

Services will be held on Friday, September 17, 11:00AM at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4100 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis, followed by burial in Fargo.  If you have an afghan from Laverne, please bring it to the funeral service for a display.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.