COL Norman D. Jorstad USA (Retired)
Cullum: 18396
Class: '51
Cadet Company: H2
Date of Birth: June 8, 1928
Date of Death: November 14, 2007 - View or Post a Eulogy
COL Norman D. Jorstad grew up on a farm near the small village of Norway, IL, the first Norwegian settlement in America. The hard work and early hours prepared him well for the demanding four years at West Point. In December of 1951, he married Lillian and they reported to the 1st Armored Div. at Ft. Hood, TX. Of the many tours, four stand out. Serving with the 2nd Armored in Germany until 1955, he learned to love overseas duty with its attendant life and memorable experiences. At ARADCOM in the early '60s he met many life long friends. It was also during this period that Lillian succumbed to heart failure.
While attending the Naval War College Staff Course he met his future wife Edye. After two tours at OSD, CDR of the 69th Signal BN and Communications Officer for Ambassador Bunker in Vietnam and attendance at the Army War College in 1970, he and Edye married. They departed for Karlsruhe, Germany in early 1972 where Norm assumed command of the 4th Signal Group and as Community Commander of Karlsruhe, Germany. With some 250 sites and units scattered from Bremerhaven to the Swiss border and Hohenfels to Great Britain plus 10,000 dependents and other units in the Karlsruhe Community, it was a challenging assignment that required the utmost support from Edye. They became friends of many German officials and compatriots and the tour came to a close all too soon in early 1974. This tour was the high point of their career and they will never forget the farewell concert by the German Air Command South Band and the National Police escort to Frankfurt airport. In 1977 Norm retired and formed AGTEC Associates an agricultural export firm. He founded JORAD Associates, a consulting firm that exists to this day. In 1982 he joined IDA where he became the director of the Technology Identification and Analysis Center.
Edye and Norm realized their desire to travel around the world, from Australia to New Zealand to Thailand, Germany, England and home. They traveled to Paris, London and Germany, took a cruise to Alaska and a trip to Fujis, Tahiti, New Zealand, Tasmania, Australia and four trips to Scandinavian countries Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. They called VA home, where Edye cares for her colorful gardens and enjoys time with their grandchildren. Norm had a passion for Genealogy, tracing his family back to the 14th century, and publishing his family genealogy history books.
