Curtis Norman Thorson

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CURTIS NORMAN THORSON was born in Luverne on May 17, 1964 to T. Norman and Dorothy (Stensland) Thorson and raised at the family’s farm southeast of Luverne, Minnesota in Magnolia Township. As a boy, he loved life on the farm with his parents, sister and two brothers. He helped with their livestock and crops operation. He could be found tinkering with anything and everything. His mom would let him take apart appliances, like toasters, knowing full well they might not work again! She always said, “That’s how they learn”. As a teen, he loved his ’68 Lincoln and cruising with his buddies. He graduated from Luverne High School in 1983. He then attended Canby Vo-Tech where he earned his Diesel-Truck Mechanic certification in 1985. He worked at Hills Stainless Steel in Luverne as a diesel mechanic for a few years before returning to the family farm in 1989. While on the farm, he was in charge of the farrowing operation. Around this time while out having some food and beverages with friends, Curt met the love of his life, Caroline Bock. They both realized early on that they were pretty perfect for one another. They balanced each other out and were a great team together. On June 18, 1994, they were married at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. The young couple settled into life in Luverne where they put down their roots and were blessed with three sons, Dylan, Eric and Luke. In 2002, Curt returned to his career in mechanics at Gold’n Plump Poultry in Luverne. He then worked at Agri-Energy, LLC as a maintenance technician and manager from 2007-2013. In 2013, he began working for POET in Chancellor, South Dakota as a maintenance mechanic for several years before taking a job in that same field at CHS Nutrition to be closer to home. Curt loved improving in his field. His work experience was a continual progression of using his skills and acquiring more knowledge in the industry. With each position, he also developed great friendships with his coworkers. Late this summer, Curt was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. On Tuesday, October 20, 2020, Curt died peacefully surrounded by his family at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage in Luverne at the age of 56 years, 5 months and 3 days.

Curt was a lifelong member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. Throughout the years, Curt served on the Stewardship Committee, chaperoned youth gatherings and helped in any way he could to support his boys as they grew up in the church. He was a proud member of the Take 16 Brewing Company board where he utilized his mechanical strengths to help on many projects through the earliest years to the present. Curt thoroughly loved working with Take 16 board members and patrons. It was his passion and pride to have been a small part of this community gem. If you knew Curt, you likely heard him say at one time or another “I owe ya a cold one!” and what better place for that than Take 16.

Curt enjoyed the annual deer hunt with his boys and brothers, elk hunting in Colorado and a multitude of trips taken with family and friends. He loved to discuss history, especially with his boys. Everyone would recognize Curt’s laugh, it was hearty and genuine. He was a kind, generous selfless man who was always willing to help someone else. He never liked the spotlight and preferred to be behind the scenes. He was a hardworking man who saw the value in hard work and was never afraid of it. He tried his best to pass that same work ethic onto his boys. Curt was gifted mechanically. Caroline would see him looking up from something he was reading or researching regarding mechanics and ask him “What are you thinking about?” His response, “I’m taking apart (whatever researching) and putting it back together in my head.”

Curt’s greatest joy and blessing were his sons of whom he could not be more proud! He enjoyed watch-ing everything his boys were involved in from the arts to athletics. He loved them voraciously, disciplined them instructively, supported them endlessly and prayed for them daily. Curt had many sayings but one that he would often say to his family and close friends in different situations and one he hoped they would continue to remember is, “any port in a storm”.

Curt is lovingly remembered by his wife, Caroline; children, Dylan, Eric and Luke; siblings, Christine (Rick) Hovda of Wausau, Wisconsin, Norris (Pat Mauch) Thorson of Luverne and John (Audra) Thorson of Larchwood, Iowa; his mother-in-law, Shirley Bock of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; brothers-in-law, Jeff (Mary) Bock of Aberdeen, South Dakota and Anthony (Jaime) Bock of York, Maine; nieces and nephews, Elizabeth (Andrew) Welles, Nicholas (Alyssa) Hovda, Alexandra (Mitch) Grieben, Tony (Kori) Bock, Sarah (Tom) Scott, Dan (Sarah) Bock and James Henry Bock; and other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; and his father-in-law, Daniel Bock.