Russell Alph Norum, Esq. Obituary _ Star Tribune10/8/2020 Russell Alph Norum, Esq. Obituary | Star Tribune
https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000370248/1/3
Russell Alph Norum, Esq.
Norum, Russell Alph, Esq. Age 82, passed away peacefully on August 29, 2020, while
surrounded by his children. He resided in the Lake Minnetonka area until moving to
Houston, Texas in 2017. Preceded in death by parents Alph and Helen (nee Kaspar)
Norum, and first wife and mother of his children, Harriet (nee Ernst). Survived by
children, Gale Pearson (Tom), Allison Curtis (Greg), David, Robert, and Patricia
Maguire; wife, Terry Nguyen; brothers, Richard (Karen) and Raymond (Bonnie). He also
left behind eight cherished grandchildren, Christopher, Tom, Angela, Robyn, Heather,
Brandon, Molly and Maggie: and five beautiful great-grandchildren, Jazmyne, Mario,
Addie, Orion, and Zeke. Russell is a 1956 graduate of Orono High. An accomplished
athlete, talented pianist, accordion player, math teacher, engine rebuilder, attorney, and
a lover of books, he was often portrayed as the "Thinker" depicted in Rodin's sculpture.
His self-taught talent for music was discovered early after buying an accordion with
money he earned as a golf caddy at Woodhill Country Club. As a teenager, his father
woke him from his sleep to play his accordion and entertain as many as 30 neighbors in
a screened porch at their home in the Stubbs Bay area. This 1950s accordion traveled
with him over the next 65 years. It played a formative role in his children's early years,
teaching a love of dance and music. As his grandkids grew, the accordion again appeared
during family events transforming them into mini-concerts and he was often
accompanied by his musically talented children adding skills from the bass guitar,
acoustic guitar, singing, and dancing. His ability to play the piano by ear was an added
bonus to his children and filled the household with the sounds of classical music and
'50s pop music during the early years. He was never far from a piano. Second to his
musical talent was his love of cooking for the holidays, and when he wasn't playing
music, "Grandpa Muscle" was cooking for his family in the kitchen. Russell earned the
nickname "professor" with his love for books and mathematics and shared that love with
anyone. In his free time, he taught mathematics and during his leisure time/light reading,
10/8/2020 Russell Alph Norum, Esq. Obituary | Star Tribune
https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000370248/2/3
practiced calculus. He had owned a bookstore, in Minneapolis on Lake Street, which
sadly came to an early closure after a tornado destroyed the property. Notably, his
children's play dates sometimes involved "group lessons" in front of the chalkboard in
the designated "classroom" in the childhood home discussing things from multiplying
fractions to quadratic equations (for his own entertainment). He worked hard to select
the best titles to sell through his educational book company, and introduced various
genres to his kids, including American classics, Greek tragedies, medical texts, sci-fi,
J.R.R. Tolkien, Arthur Conan Doyle, and anything that fostered critical thinking and
logic reasoning. He took the time to teach his kids and grandkids to play chess and in
pushing their skills he never "let them win." He recalled, "One day they all got better than
me." His great-grandson continues this tradition as a talented chess player. His
professional goal was to practice law, earning a Juris Doctorate degree in his early 40s
from Hamline University Law School. He taught his love for law to his adult children.
Week-end trips "up north" spent hours around the campfire debating elements of a
contract and answering law-school type questions - continuing his favorite practice of
testing a person's ability to think and reason. It would have always been the winning
advantage to be his Trivial Pursuit partner! He inspired three of his kids and a
grandchild to work in the legal profession. Up until the week he died, he continued to
play his favorite game with his kids "trivia questions" while passing time on long car
rides. The last trivia question he asked was, "How many curlers did Shirley Temple's
mother put into Shirley Temple at night?" Obscure, we know. Because times have
changed, the obscure answer was easily found using Google. The legal profession lost an
irreplaceable asset. Russell worked as an attorney up until the weeks before his death.
His mind was sharp, his thinking was clear, and his knowledge was deep. Throughout his
career he provided legal advice as a board member to Employment Action Center, an
organization that assisted the underemployed find gainful employment. Russell also
served as AAA arbitrator in Hennepin County where he was recognized for his fair and
well-reasoned decisions. He volunteered frequently as mock judge for Hamline where he
was honored with a plaque on its Judges Hall of Fame. He frequently provided free legal
services to the underrepresented community helping to solve legal challenges when they
could not afford to pay. In particular, he helped senior citizens to obtain free legal
services providing trustworthy guidance to their life end challenges. His teaching ability
served him well as he helped his clients understand the intricacies of the law and helped
to solve their most complicated legal challenges. His dedication to serving others lives
on through his offspring. Before he became an attorney, he worked as a mechanic
building Volkswagen engines, the first built in the home for his children to watch. He
worked at Chaska Auto Parts (NAPA) his parents' business. He owned a Texaco station
in Chaska and later North Shore Pure Oil/Union 76 where the first gas pump was
installed at a dock for drive-up boating business. He then worked with his brother at
Midwest Engine Rebuilders/Motion Incorporated, a foreign motor engine rebuilder. He
also was a skilled carpenter and completed several wood projects. Those furniture
pieces, along with his memories, will be cherished and handed down for generations. His
ability to work with his hands inspired his sons to continue their skills as advanced
masonry artists. It was important for Russell to teach his kids to be independent. His
parenting was at times stoic and harsh, but he was looking further down the road to
their futures -his thinking was ahead of his time. In the '60s, when civil unrest was on the
television, Russell and Harriet took special care to teach their children that every person
is equal, advocating a zero tolerance for racial discrimination. Decades ago, during the
initiation of the ERA movement, he ensured his kids understood the importance of the
movement's passing and equality for women. In the end, he pushed his kids to invest in
education, and valued integrity above all. "If you do not have integrity, you have
nothing." Russell Norum was a great man and his family and friends remember and
honor the important life lessons he taught and will live on in our memories forever. A
private family service will be held Saturday, October 10, 2020, at 11:00 a.m., at the
Chanhassen Pioneer Cemetery, officiated by Kenny Kraft. Please send thoughts,
memories, and any good stories to the family, in care of: Gale Pearson, 15427 Holdridge
Road E., Wayzata, MN 55391. The family wishes to read and share your memories during
the time of the service. We are sorry that Covid prevents us from sharing your memories
in person.
Published on October 4, 2020
10/8/2020 Russell Alph Norum, Esq. Obituary | Star Tribune
https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000370248/3/3