A Mass of Christin Burial for Norbert J. Pastir of Roseau, MN will be held on Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at 10:30AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Roseau, MN. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 from 3-5PM at Helgeson Funeral Home with a prayer service at 5PM. Interment will take place at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Roseau, MN.
Norbert Joseph Pastir passed away peacefully at the age of 86, on December 1, 2024, at LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau.
Norbert was born on the family farm near Veseleyville, North Dakota. He was the second of five children born to Joseph and Eugenia (Houdek) Pastir on May 16, 1938.
He graduated from Lafayette High School in Red Lake Falls in 1955. After high school, he attended one year of college at St. John’s University before transferring to Bemidji State University (BSU) where he earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. While at BSU, he played catcher for their baseball team.
Norbert married Laurel “Lolly” Zutz on February 11, 1961 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thief River Falls, MN. They made their home in Roseau where Norbert taught 6th grade for his entire teaching career.
Norbert enjoyed all sporting events. He coached high school football, hockey, and baseball; serving as Roseau’s head baseball coach from 1970-1993. In 1999, he was a recipient of the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association Dick Siebert Award. In 2008, he was inducted into the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and into the Roseau Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.
Norbert was instrumental in organizing the Thursday Night Youth Hockey League. Due to the number of participants, this program expanded to what became known as Saturday Morning Hockey League. He also organized the referee crews for countless youth hockey events. In addition, he took his turn at running the clock and manning the penalty box.
Norbert also had the privilege of serving as a referee for the North Dakota State High School Hockey Tournament. One of his favorite memories was officiating the 1977 state championship game between Grand Forks Central and Grand Forks Red River. After eight overtime periods, the game was declared a 1-1 tie, and the crosstown rivals shared the state title.
After retiring from teaching, he continued to drive school bus, run the clock at athletic events, and worked as a crop/hail insurance claims examiner well into his retirement.
Norbert enjoyed attending his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events and extracurricular activities. He also was an avid hunter. On most weekends during hunting season, he could be found strolling in the woods, hunkering down in a duck blind, or posting in a deer stand. He and Lolly also enjoyed spending time at their cabin; ice fishing in the winter; and on cold days, playing cards and cribbage, and completing puzzles.
Norbert is survived by his children: Jeff (Beth) Pastir, Pamela (Steve) Hanson, Brian (Julie) Pastir, and Perry (Diana Waich) Pastir; grandchildren: Jeremy (Kayla Cardenas) Pastir, Kjirsten (Scott) Wood, Ana-Alicia (Adam) Crist, Amy (Carter) Ueland, Stephani (Scott) McDaniel, Joseph (Paige Emanuelson) Pastir, and Zachary (Hannah Sorensen) Pastir; great-granddaughters: Harleigh, Estelle, Brielle, and Blake; sister Anita Halbmaier; sisters-in-law: Betty Pastir, Betty Kruse, Janet Skjerping, and Connie Kennedy; brother-in-law, Bill Philion; aunts and uncles, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Norbert was preceded in death by his wife Lolly; his parents; siblings: Betty Scott, Donna Streett, and Mike Pastir; brothers- and sisters-in-law: William Scott, Robert Halbmaier, Thomas Streett, Louis and Pearl Zutz, Jr., Marjorie and Jim Walters, John “Bud” Kruse, Jerome Skjerping, Larry Kennedy, Karen Philion, and Timothy Zutz; and numerous aunts and uncles.