Bethana M. Norgord

Bethana May (Beth) Norgord (née Gundlach) passed away Sunday, January 11th after a brief illness. Born March 15, 1932, in Evansville, Wisconsin, to John and Esther (Luther) Gundlach, Beth was the third of six children in the family. Her father had seen the name “Bethana” in a recent newspaper article and liked it so much he gave it to his new daughter. Beth spent her childhood in Evansville, graduated from Evansville High School in 1949, and then worked in the payroll department at Baker Manufacturing.

She met her future husband, Jim Norgord, in 1952 when he and some buddies from the Air National Guard base at Truax Field in Madison stopped at the roller rink where Beth and a friend were skating. Sometime later, Jim borrowed his father’s car and went to Evansville to find the young woman he had met. Beth was out that evening and Jim not only couldn’t find her, but he had an accident with his father’s car and could not drive it. A local police officer gave him a ride to the train depot to wait for the morning train to Madison. It turned out that officer was Beth’s brother-in-law and he let Beth know that a young airman who had been looking for her was at the depot. Beth went to the depot and waited with him, beginning a romance that led to marriage at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Evansville on July 23rd, 1955.

Beth and Jim raised five children, all born in Madison. Beth was a talented homemaker, cook, and artist. She loved to draw and to make many of the decorations in her home. After the family moved to Waukesha in 1967, she enrolled in a painting class at the technical college. For many years she perfected her artistry as she raised her children. Her artwork is held mostly by friends and relatives, but the Waukesha County Courthouse is home to her painting titled The Life of a Rose. Family, both immediate and extended, meant everything to Beth who spent hours interviewing her older relatives, visiting cemeteries, libraries, and court houses to build her family tree. She amassed binders of photos and written information, making friends with distant cousins across the country as they shared information.

Beth was preceded in death by her parents, brother Rollie (Alice) Gundlach , sister Lorna (George) Walk, her son-in-law Gabe Szecsy, her parents-in-law Evan Sr. and Clara Norgord, brothers-in-law Evan (Doris) Norgord Jr., George Norgord, and Richard Norgord, sisters-in-law Cathryn (Wally) Seeliger, Dorothy (Ted) Ellestad, Audrey and husbands Paul Romano and Bob Simon, and Ruth (Frank) Pesch.

She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Jim, children Greg (Mary), Laura Szecsy, John (Mary), Ken, and Tom; sister Mary (Ray) McCool; brothers Howard (Sue) and Tom (Tricia) Gundlach; and sisters-in-law Virginia Norgord and Joan Norgord. She is further survived by fifteen grandchildren: Jenny (Rob) Leistiko, Amy (Mark) Hoth, Erica (Randy) Leistiko, Kevin (Sara) Szecsy, Ryan (Bekah) Szecsy, Andy (Andrea) Norgord, Carly Norgord, Allie (Matt) Bauer, Rebecca (Roberto) Fernandez, Sarah Norgord, Mike (Lauren) Norgord, Kayleigh (Priyanka) Kuruppu, Luke Norgord, Emily Norgord, and Aubrey Norgord. Beth has nineteen great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. We who survive thank the Lord for His gift of Beth for so many years.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at Corpus Christi Parish, St William Church, 440 N. Moreland Blvd, Waukesha, WI 53188 from 9:00 AM until the 11 :00 AM funeral Mass. Burial will follow at Prairie Home Cemetery. Memorial’s in Beth’s name are appreciated to Corpus Christi Parish (address above)

Randle-Dable-Brisk Funeral Home, Crematory and Preplanning Services is honored to serve the family. For further information, please call the funeral home at 262-547-4035 or visit our website at www.randledable.com for directions or to leave the family an online tribute message.