Norberg Memorial Home continues to serve after more than century

Editor’s note: This following story is another segment in the BCR’s continuing series on area businesses who have more than 100 years under their belts.

PRINCETON — Norberg Memorial Home has been in business in Princeton for more than 100 years, first starting in 1903.

“We put the wants and needs first of the families that come to us,” said J.D. Smallwood, one of the current owners of the long-established business along with his wife, Shannon. “Our motto is continuing a tradition of service, reliability and care.”

J.D. and Shannon Smallwood bought the business in 2008 prior to the death of Lowell Smallwood on Oct. 5, 2008. J.D. is the son of the late Lowell and Bonnie Smallwood.

J.D. came to work for the business in 1998 when he was 32 years old. His father, Lowell “Bodie” Smallwood, started working for Art Norberg at the business in 1955.

“Dad hoped one of us would continue the family business, but he left it up to us,” he said. “It was a calling to follow into the business. I was licensed as a funeral director in 1997 and moved to Princeton in 1998 to help dad in the business and to learn from him.”

Bodie started selling monuments in 1985, and Shannon does that part of the business now.

E.A. Vaughn started the funeral home business in 1903 at 535 S. Main St. in Princeton. In 1909, C. Arthur Norberg went to work for Vaughn and became a partner in 1917. The business operated as a music and picture frame store as well as a funeral home until Vaughn died in 1927.

Norberg Memorial Home moved in 1939 from its location on Main Street to 120 S. Vernon St. Harry Price, Earle Armstrong and Norberg were the directors at the new location and became partners in 1942.

Bodie moved to Princeton Jan. 2, 1955, to work as a director for Norberg. In 1959, he became a partner. After Armstrong died in 1959, Wendell Reinking became a director at Norberg Memorial Home. Norberg died in 1966.

“He didn’t change the name, since it was well established,” explained J.D.

In 1968, Price, Reinking and Smallwood began construction on the present location of Norberg Memorial Home at 701 E. Thompson St. in Princeton. The building was completed in 1969.

Price served as a director until he died in 1974. Smallwood and Reinking remained partners until Reinking’s retirement in 1982.

J.D. became a partner in 2003. J.D. and his father both graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago.

Bodie served in the military from 1951 to 1953, spending 13 months in Korea. During his last four months in Korea, Bodie was a part of grave registration. After returning home, he then attended mortuary school.

J.D. and Shannon, who have been married for 15 years, are the parents of Phoenix, 17; Basia, 13; and Jakoby, 4.

Other employees are Erica Rabe, a licensed funeral director and embalmer, who came in 2009; and Elizabeth Isaacson, who came in 2007. Rabe and her husband, Adam, have two children, Abby, 8, and Emily 6. Isaacson and her husband, John, are the parents of Marcella, 18 months old and have another child on the way.

“We are a full-service funeral home,” said Smallwood. “We offer everything from burials to cremations to monuments. We have a full showroom of 20 caskets on site.”

Norberg Memorial Home's website address is www.norbergfh.com.

Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.