Joseph Gerhard Norby was the second of five children born to pioneer minister, Ole J. Norby and Bertha Lien Norby. When he was born in a sod hut in Turner County, South Dakota was still a Territory. The family lived for a number of years on the Dakota prairie or in small pioneer towns, as Rev. Norby ministered to settlements in North and South Dakota and Montana. Joe as he was often called, knew hard times at an early age and retained vivid memories of neighbors sharing food and tearing apart boxcars for firewood to keep warm. In 1893 the family of six (one child died in infancy) moved to Chicago and later to Winchester, WI where Joseph's father was pastor to what became Grace Lutheran Church.
Joseph attended St. Olaf Academy (College) and graduated in 1904. He married in Northfield, MN Minnie Annette Johnson 21 Jun 1907, a 1906 graduate of St. Olaf. He held various education posts in Minnesota before he was appointed vice president of the American State Bank in Fergus Falls. He entered the field of hospital administration in 1923 by becoming superintendent of Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis, where he remained for 14 years.
During those years, Joseph served as chairman of the committee of hospital administrators that created the Minnesota Blue Cross Plan and later served as president and board member. In 1937 he and Minnie moved to Milwaukee to become superintendent of Columbia Hospital where he served for 15 years. Here, working against strong opposition, he was instrumental in the formation of the Wisconsin Blue Cross Plan and served as its first president. The honors and accomplishments of this wonderful man go on and on.
During all his many business activities, his family remained most important. Joseph and Minnie had six children, three boys and three girls. One child not listed in the direct links is:
Maurice Joseph (1908-1986) m. Ethel Magnus
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Joseph attended St. Olaf Academy (College) and graduated in 1904. He married in Northfield, MN Minnie Annette Johnson 21 Jun 1907, a 1906 graduate of St. Olaf. He held various education posts in Minnesota before he was appointed vice president of the American State Bank in Fergus Falls. He entered the field of hospital administration in 1923 by becoming superintendent of Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis, where he remained for 14 years.
During those years, Joseph served as chairman of the committee of hospital administrators that created the Minnesota Blue Cross Plan and later served as president and board member. In 1937 he and Minnie moved to Milwaukee to become superintendent of Columbia Hospital where he served for 15 years. Here, working against strong opposition, he was instrumental in the formation of the Wisconsin Blue Cross Plan and served as its first president. The honors and accomplishments of this wonderful man go on and on.
During all his many business activities, his family remained most important. Joseph and Minnie had six children, three boys and three girls. One child not listed in the direct links is:
Maurice Joseph (1908-1986) m. Ethel Magnus
---
Joseph Gerhard Norby was the second of five children born to pioneer minister, Ole J. Norby and Bertha Lien Norby. When he was born in a sod hut in Turner County, South Dakota was still a Territory. The family lived for a number of years on the Dakota prairie or in small pioneer towns, as Rev. Norby ministered to settlements in North and South Dakota and Montana. Joe as he was often called, knew hard times at an early age and retained vivid memories of neighbors sharing food and tearing apart boxcars for firewood to keep warm. In 1893 the family of six (one child died in infancy) moved to Chicago and later to Winchester, WI where Joseph's father was pastor to what became Grace Lutheran Church.
Joseph attended St. Olaf Academy (College) and graduated in 1904. He married in Northfield, MN Minnie Annette Johnson 21 Jun 1907, a 1906 graduate of St. Olaf. He held various education posts in Minnesota before he was appointed vice president of the American State Bank in Fergus Falls. He entered the field of hospital administration in 1923 by becoming superintendent of Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis, where he remained for 14 years.
During those years, Joseph served as chairman of the committee of hospital administrators that created the Minnesota Blue Cross Plan and later served as president and board member. In 1937 he and Minnie moved to Milwaukee to become superintendent of Columbia Hospital where he served for 15 years. Here, working against strong opposition, he was instrumental in the formation of the Wisconsin Blue Cross Plan and served as its first president. The honors and accomplishments of this wonderful man go on and on.
During all his many business activities, his family remained most important. Joseph and Minnie had six children, three boys and three girls. One child not listed in the direct links is:
Maurice Joseph (1908-1986) m. Ethel Magnus
---
Joseph attended St. Olaf Academy (College) and graduated in 1904. He married in Northfield, MN Minnie Annette Johnson 21 Jun 1907, a 1906 graduate of St. Olaf. He held various education posts in Minnesota before he was appointed vice president of the American State Bank in Fergus Falls. He entered the field of hospital administration in 1923 by becoming superintendent of Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis, where he remained for 14 years.
During those years, Joseph served as chairman of the committee of hospital administrators that created the Minnesota Blue Cross Plan and later served as president and board member. In 1937 he and Minnie moved to Milwaukee to become superintendent of Columbia Hospital where he served for 15 years. Here, working against strong opposition, he was instrumental in the formation of the Wisconsin Blue Cross Plan and served as its first president. The honors and accomplishments of this wonderful man go on and on.
During all his many business activities, his family remained most important. Joseph and Minnie had six children, three boys and three girls. One child not listed in the direct links is:
Maurice Joseph (1908-1986) m. Ethel Magnus
---
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Joseph G. Norby 1883-1965
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