Norman Hoeft, 88

Norman Hoeft 88, of Adams, MN passed away on September 4th, 2023, at Cedar Court Care Center in Adams.

Norman was born on August 11, 1935, in Grand Meadow, MN. He grew up on a farm just outside of town with his parents and his sister. When Norman was in third grade the family moved from the farm into Grand Meadow. He talked fondly of his aunts and uncles and cousins and their Sunday dinners at his grandmas in the country.

Norman graduated from Grand Meadow High School in 1953. After high school, he served his country by entering the Air Force. He spent 4 years in the service, spending two of those years in England. He lived off base with an English family for some of that time and was the meat inspector while in the Air Force. When he returned home in 1958, he brought back a Triumph TR3 car.

He married Joan Mulvihill on September 26, 1959. Joan was his constant companion and partner in everything they did over the years. Norman decided he wanted to be a barber, so he and Joan lived in St Paul briefly while he was attending barber school. When done, they moved to Adams, MN and Norman owned the barber shop in Adams for 20 years.

In 1972, Norman and Joan bought a farm two miles NW of Adams and began building a family farm. The farm needed some work and started out with chickens, hogs and even chinchillas. Over time, he and the family grew the farm into a modern 1,200 head hog farm.

Norman served on the board at Little Cedar Lutheran Church, the Mower County Pork Producers, Adams Commercial Club and was a member of the Adams American Legion.

In his free time, Norman liked to fish, and the family went to Lost Valley Resort in Vergas, MN for a week in the summer for many years. He and Joan liked to go to casinos, travel on bus tours and attend their grandkids’ events at school, sporting events, etc. They also enjoyed camping at Beaver Trails in Austin and taking their fifth wheel on trips from Minnesota to Texas and points in-between. He and Joan liked to watch all the Minnesota sports teams, especially the Twins and Gophers, even better…while enjoying popcorn or ice cream. He loved playing cards, games, and especially Fast Track with his grandkids. In 1998, Norman and Joan took a big trip to Norway with others from Adams and visited relatives in Norway.

In 2000, Norman and Joan retired from the farm and started going to Southern Comfort RV Park in Weslaco, TX in the winters. They spent 20 winters in Texas and met amazing people and shared good meals, conversations, and fun times. They spent the summers in Adams and enjoyed growing tomatoes, feeding the birds, and sitting on their back porch and enjoying their neighbors and family.

Norman is survived by his wife Joan, children Bill (Julie), Bob (Judy), Sally (Vince) and Brad (Alicia) and 9 grandkids (Amy, Matt, Rachel, Jordan, Nate, Zach, Jessica, Logan and Leah), and 6 great-grandkids (Sophia, Ruby, Leo, Clara, Lola, and Devon), and a 7th coming soon. He was preceded in death by his parents Elmer and Mille and sister Marlene Koball and brother-in-law Bob Koball, and many sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, September 11 at Little Cedar Lutheran Church in Adams, MN with Pastor Jeremy Johnson officiating. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church. Full military honors by Adams American Legion Post # 146. Interment at Bear Creek Cemetery in Grand Meadow, MN will be at a later date.

Thank you to Mayo Hospice and Cedar Court for their tremendous care of Norman these past few months. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the organization of your choice.

Adams Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.