Norman K. Rockwell

Norman “Norm” Keith Rockwell of Menomonie, Wisconsin, passed away on March 28, 2023 after a brief illness.

Norm was born in Webster City, Iowa, on December 14, 1937 to parents Frances and Norman Rockwell. Contrary to popular belief, Norm was not named after the famous artist, Norman Rockwell, but his father, the famous long-haul truck driver.

After he graduated from Mason City High School in Iowa in 1956, he moved to the metropolis of Waterloo, Iowa, where he became a shoe salesman. Not content with spending his days measuring feet, he left to become the main cameraman at the first television station in the city. Then, the army came knocking and he got his draft notice in 1960.

After spending basic and advanced training in Texas Norm was sent off to Germany to fight in the Cold War. While in Germany, he got to shoot mortars and sleep out in the snow which he wasn’t too fond of. Luckily for Norm, he was taught the art of typing at Mason City High School and soon got himself transferred to the military newspaper where he worked as an Army journalist.

In 1961, he met his future wife, Ingrid Nagel in Germany. After a whirlwind romance, they decided to get married. They spent the next 60(!) years together!

After his time in the army, Norm went on to earn his degrees in teaching and guidance and counseling from the University of Minnesota - Winona and UW-Stout in Menomonie. He was very proud of the fact that he received not just one masters degree but two. Even so, he quit teaching art in 1984 to pursue a career in cartooning.

Until he retired from cartooning ten years ago, Norm wrote and drew cartoons that were published throughout the world in publications such as Good Housekeeping, Saturday Evening Post, The National Enquirer, and Reader’s Digest. He even wrote ideas for Charles Addams that appeared in the New Yorker Magazine. In addition, for many years he created a weekly cartoon specifically for the Dunn County News in Menomonie, WI. He also published several books of cartoons and humor.

Norm was predeceased by his mother and father, and his brothers Gary Rockwell and Ed Rockwell. He is survived by his wife Ingrid Rockwell, sons Alex and Adam Rockwell, daughters-in-law Jill Rockwell and Karen Rockwell, and his grandsons, Fineas Rockwell, Abe Rockwell, and Owen Rockwell.

Norm lived life on his own terms and everyone in his family loved him for it. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Dunn County Humane Society.

The Rockwell Family would like to invite you to a celebration of life for Norm Rockwell on Saturday, June 10th from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM. We will have an informal gathering at the Dunn County Historical Society where we will be sharing some of his cartoon work, family photos and other remembrances of him. Feel free to stop in anytime during the celebration to talk with Norm’s family, have a bite of food and help remember Norm.

When: Saturday, June 10th. 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Where: Dunn County Historical Society, Fulton and Edna Holtby Hall (Located in Wakanda Park, near the Lion’s Club Game Farm). There is a dedicated parking lot for the Hall, as well as street parking.
Who: Open to everyone. Much of Norm’s work was focused on the Menomonie area and we would like anyone from the community who knew Norm or enjoyed his work to feel welcome to stop by.