Celebrating the Life of Margaret Emily (Petzold) Norberg

Margaret Emily (Petzold) Norberg, age 99, passed away peacefully on May 20, 2026, in Hyde Park, UT, surrounded by many of her loved ones. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and lifelong educator, she lived a long and beautiful life defined by her humility, graciousness, cheerfulness, and unwavering work ethic.

Born on March 28, 1927, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Margaret was the cherished daughter of Frank Fred Otto Petzold (1896–1988) and Irvena Josephine Leone (1900–1989). Guided by a lifelong love of learning, she attended Milwaukee State Teachers College, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education on June 17, 1948.

A Life of Purpose and Joy

Margaret dedicated many years of her life to a cause she believed in passionately: a good education, whether in a classroom of five-year-olds or at home with her own daughters. She worked as a kindergarten teacher in both Wisconsin and California between 1948 and 1960. She loved teaching children and enjoyed telling anecdotes about the fun things her kindergarteners did. When her daughters were young, she homeschooled them for a time, something few parents did then, carrying that same devotion into her own home.

In addition to her professional calling, Margaret was an industrious woman of many talents who found great fulfillment in the quiet beauty of daily life. She spent her happiest hours reading, taking notes on news and radio programs, sewing, tending to her beautiful fruit trees, and mastering cooking, baking, and canning. Above all else, she generously devoted her time, energy, and entire heart to taking care of her family.

Family and Legacy

Margaret’s greatest pride and joy was her family. On November 18, 1956, she married her devoted husband, Alvin Victor Norberg. Together, they built a home filled with warmth and shared fifty-seven beautiful years together until Alvin's passing on September 16, 2014. Margaret was a loving mother and a treasured grandmother whose legacy of love and nurturing will endure through generations.

She is survived by her two children, Elizabeth Ann (Norberg) Christensen (Hyde Park, Utah) and Janet Ellen (Norberg) Guthrie (Tontitown, Arkansas); her three step-children, Pamela Carol (Norberg) Harr (Glendive, Montana), Mary Belle Norberg (Entiat, Washington), and William Victor Norberg (Placerville, California); and her 19 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Alvin Victor Norberg (1916–2014); her parents, Frank Fred Otto Petzold (1896-1988) and Irvena Josephine (Lione) Petzold (1900-1989); and her brother, Frank John Petzold (1923-2015).

"May her memory be a comfort, an inspiration, and a lasting blessing to all who knew and loved her."