Funeral service for Norman Osnes will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, August 15th at First Baptist Church in Valentine, NE. Burial will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery in Valentine. Visitation will be Wednesday, August 14th at Sandoz Chapel of the Pines from 12:00 until 9:00 p.m.

Norman Wayne Osnes, 75, of Valentine, NE was taken home to heaven on Sunday, August 11, 2013.

Norman was born on August 18, 1937, in Burke, SD to Dorothy and Herman Osnes. He grew up on a farm three miles from Burke, attended country school and Burke High School. Noticing his sister's friend, Norman borrowed money from his dad, and cruised Burke's Main Street several times past that certain pretty girl. Norman finally slowed down and asked Letha Lux to the drive-in movie. Following graduation, in 1956, Norman went to school for electronics in Springfield, SD, but decided he didn't like it. So, in the fall of 1957, Norman accepted a teaching position at a country school in Mosher, SD, where he taught for a year.

On May 23, 1958, Norman married his high school sweetheart, Letha, and they made their home in Valentine, NE. Norman worked in the hayfield that summer and was hired by Ohlmann Block Plant, in the fall of 1958, hauling cinder blocks and mixing mortar. Later, he went into carpentry and became an electrician—framing houses/apartments, roofing, hanging drywall and cabinets, laying floors and wiring houses, working for Ohlmann Building Center until May 2013. Norman was an all-around handyman, building, fixing and repairing to the very end of his life.

Norman accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior as a youngster, during Vacation Bible School and rededicated his life at a Bible meeting, at the age of nineteen. Early in their marriage, Norman and Letha attended the Lakeview Christian Reformed Church. After having children, Norman and Letha began going to the Berean Fundamental Church in Valentine, avoiding the hassle of a twenty-minute drive on Sunday mornings. In 1978, the family joined the First Baptist Church of Valentine, where Norman helped engineer and build the current structure and served as a Sunday School teacher and treasurer. Norman strived to live his Christian faith in his daily life and schooled his family in scripture, sound doctrine and Bible prophecy.

Norman is survived by his wife, Letha of Valentine; nine children, Carma (Mike) Rethmeier of Winfield, KS; Linda (Leonard) Danielski of Valentine; Brad (Wanda) Osnes of Stapleton, NE; Duane (Jennifer) Osnes of Kearney, NE; Terry (Sherry) Osnes; Kent (Tina) Osnes; Aaron (Mary Ellen) Osnes; Evan (Annie) Osnes; Brice (Nicole) Osnes, all of Valentine; sister, Joan (Marv) Fickbohm of Sioux City, IA; brother Jim (friend, Elaine) Osnes of Burke, SD; thirty-two grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, friends and hundreds of "daycare" grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Tom Osnes; and granddaughter, Kelsey Osnes.