Norma Kathleen McFarland Smeby, 95, of Albert Lea died Saturday, May 9, 2015, at Hidden Creek Assisted Living.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Moscow Lutheran Church, rural Austin, with the Rev. Matthew Williams officiating. Interment will be at Moscow Lutheran Church Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary in Austin and at the church on Wednesday for one hour prior to the service.

Norma was born Sept. 2, 1919, the daughter of Hazel (Nielsen) & Elmer McFarland near Mentor. On Dec. 22, 1940, she was united in marriage to George Norman Smeby at the First United Methodist Church in Austin. George and Norma had four children. They farmed together 40 years before retiring and moving to Austin.

Norma was an elementary school teacher at various country schools and the Albert Lea public school system. She completed her master’s degree in education. Her passions were reading, traveling, crafts and spending time with family.

She was an active member of Moscow Lutheran Church, participating in quilting, altar guild, Faith Circle, Bible study, Ladies Aid and church suppers. She and George had a strong faith, which they passed along to their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Norma is survived by her four children, Kathleen (Virgil) Asbury of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Kent (Betty) Smeby of Austin, Kraig (Doris) Smeby of Rockford and Keith (Connie) Smeby of St. Paul; grandchildren Teri Asbury, Jeffrey (Sandra) Asbury, Jay Asbury, Kimberly (Steven) Zenk, Kristene (William) Wilkie, Kurt (Cynthia) Smeby, Timothy (Debra) Smeby, Jane (Kean) Corkery, Jennifer Nixon, Jackie (Dwane) Veney, Joel (Jenni) Smeby, Jarrett (Beth) Smeby and Jonathan Troy Smeby; great-grandchildren  Lindsey and Tyler Asbury, Timothy (Katrina) Zenk, Katherine (Christopher) Hebblewhite, Jillian (Brent) Tweed, Adam Wilkie, Kevin, Kendra, and Kallie Smeby, Alexa and Raquel Smeby, McKone, Seamus and Flannagan Corkery, Joseph and Andrew Nixon, Deontae and Jayden Veney; great-great-grandchildren Addison, Steven, Isaac, Amelia, Clara and Henry Zenk and Kari Hebblewhite; sister, Joan (Stanley) Stanek; sisters-in-law Mary Ellen McFarland and Janet Bothun; and many nieces and nephews.

Norma was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her grandchildren Jonathan Lee Smeby, Tanya Asbury and Trevor Smeby; her sister, Marna Nelson; and her brother, Dr. Keith McFarland.

Blessed be her memory.