Norman Knickrehm

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Obituary

Norman Knickrehm, 85, of Mitchell, SD, passed away peacefully Thursday, April 7, 2022, at Firesteel Healthcare Center in Mitchell. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Thursday, April 14, at First Lutheran Church in Mitchell. Burial will be at Graceland Cemetery in Mitchell. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5-7:00 PM at Bittner Funeral Chapel with a 6:30 prayer service.

Norman Ernst Knickrehm was born May 28, 1936, in Mitchell, SD to Otto and Alma (Gerlach) Knickrehm. He grew up on a farm west of Mitchell and received his grade school education from Beulah Township 27-Rural Mitchell. He graduated from Mitchell High School in 1956. Following High School, he remained at home farming with his father. He served in the Army from 1958-1961 which included tours overseas to Germany. Upon returning home from the service, he returned to farming with his father.

While out with friends, Norman met the love of his life, closest friend, wife, and later caregiver, Sondra. Following their one-year courtship, Norman was united in marriage to Sondra Kisley on August 7, 1965, in Lake Andes, SD.

He was employed at Hardware Supply as a route delivery driver from 1966-1969. In 1969, he started working for the Mitchell Post Office as a city mail carrier where he received numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career until his retirement in 1998. In April 2021, Norman received his Gold Card commemorating fifty years of loyal membership in the National Association of Letter Carriers. After starting a family, Norman worked at the gas station in the evenings following his long days carrying mail. He continued to improve his skills by completing courses in securities and investments and home wiring from Mitchell Area Vo Tech.

Norman enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. His hobbies consisted of fishing, hunting, and woodworking. Following retirement, Norman enjoyed meeting his friends for coffee every afternoon along with many hours spent putting puzzles together. He was constantly tinkering with odds and ends of all sorts to modify and improve things to make them better.

Those honored for having shared in Norman’s life are his wife, Sondra; children, Carmen (Robert) Selting of Sturgis, SD, Brent (Julie) Knickrehm and Kristi (Chad) Vondra both of Sioux Falls, SD; grandchildren, Tyler & Cathrine Selting, John & Andrew Knickrehm, Sidney, Hilary, Samuel & Ian Vondra; and great-grandson Leo. He is also survived by his brother, Kenneth Knickrehm of Douglass, KS; sisters, Wilma Buffington of Artesian, SD and Irene Hamaan of Ortonville, MN; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Harold and Marvin; sisters, Edna Knickrehm, Violet Knickrehm, and Eileen Woods; and infant twin siblings, Ruth and Rueben.

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