Services for Roy Nordby
Roy Nordby, Grygla, MN age 85 died January 31st, 2020.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Friday, February 7th at Johnson Funeral Home in Thief River Falls, with prayer service at 7:00.
Funeral service will be Saturday, February 8th at 2:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, in Grygla, MN, with Rev. Ken Bowman officiating. Interment will follow at Valle Cemetery, rural Grygla.
Roy Douglas Nordby was born on the farm at rural Grygla, MN July 12, 1934 to Arthur and Dorothy (Tweten) Nordby. He was baptized and confirmed at Valle Lutheran church. He attended elementary school in Benville Township and graduated from Goodridge High School in 1952. As a typical farm boy, he milked cows, cut wood, put up hay, etc.
In December of 1953, Roy enlisted in the US Army where he joined the Airborne Division and was trained as a paratrooper in the 508th Red Devils regiment. He served until September of 1956, when he was transferred to the Army Reserve and received his honorable discharge in November of 1961.
In November of 1957, Roy was united in marriage to Joy Larson at Grygla, MN. They made their home in Moorhead, MN for a short time and then moved back to Grygla where they have since resided. In January of 2016, after years of struggling with Parkinson’s disease, Roy became a resident of the Clearbrook Good Samaritan home. In October of 2017 he moved to the Thief River Care Center.
Roy worked as a heavy equipment operator on road construction for about 40 years, mostly driving a grader. He also drove trucks in the winter months. After breaking his back in 1993, he was forced into retirement. He served as a veteran’s service officer for Marshall County for 11 years and also managed Motel 89 in Grygla during that time, serving breakfast for his guests. Roy always enjoyed cooking for others and spent time managing the Goodridge Café and the Grygla Cafe.
Roy volunteered countless hours for numerous community projects and organizations. He was a member of the Grygla Volunteer Fire Department for 31 years and a charter member and first president of the Grygla Lion’s Club. He was a charter member and officer in the Grygla American Legion and a member of Grace Lutheran Church, where he served on the church council a number of times. He was also a member of the Fourtown-Grygla Sportsman’s club and an officer in the Grygla Development Corporation.
Roy was a people person and liked to help wherever he was needed. He was a volunteer driver for Marshall County Social Service. He delivered the Grand Forks Herald for a number of years, only because he thought everyone wanted to read their paper by 6:00 a.m. He liked to play cards, scrabble and cribbage, especially with his kids and grandkids. He enjoyed watching sports, especially football and was a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan. He always got a kick out of sparring with his Viking friends. He also enjoyed playing golf, deer hunting, ice fishing, berry picking, and large family get-togethers. His upbringing on the farm always stayed with him and in his later years he loved to drive around the country to watch progress out on the farm.
Roy is survived by his wife Joy and his six children: daughter Gwen (Paul) Belvedere, son Robert (Lori), son Richard, daughter Sandra (Joe) Smaker, son Bruce, and son Jeremy (Kerri). He is also survived by 14 grandchildren: Erika (Nordby) Bowen, Barb (Nordby) Nelsen, Amanda Nordby, Nicholas, Matthew and Jeffrey Nordby, Molly (Knutson) Kocer, Ben Knutson, Andrew, Anthony and Bryan Belvedere, Soren, Myra and Lila Nordby; Five great-grandchildren: Sam and Annika Bowen, and Colton, Easton, and Mila Nelsen; sisters: Marie Konickson, Carol (Leland) Lee, and Ardith Erickson, and sister-in-law Shirley Nordby; as well as his close friends Ellkay and June Foss.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Orvis, his brother-in-laws Jerry Erickson, Wayne Konickson and Rodney Anderson, his nephew Dayle Anderson, several cousins, and all his aunts and uncles.
Lieu of Flowers donations could be made in Roy's name to the following: Disabled American Veteran or Grace Lutheran Church, Grygla, MN.
