Norma Dison, PhD, RN
Tuesday, February 7, 1928
Date of Death:
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Age:
86 years old
Visitation
Date: Monday March 10, 2014
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Prayer Service: 7:00 pm
Location: River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home [ view map ]
Second Visitation
Date: Tuesday March 11, 2014
Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church [ view map ]
Funeral Service
Date: Tuesday March 11, 2014
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church [ view map ]
Burial
Location: Oakwood Cemetery
Tuesday, February 7, 1928
Date of Death:
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Age:
86 years old
Tuesday, February 7, 1928
Date of Death:
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Age:
86 years old
Norma Dison, PhD, RN
Norma Dison, PhD, RN
Dr. Norma Dison, 86, of Rochester, died March 6, 2014 at St. Marys Hospital.
Norma Jean Greenler was born near the village of Florida, Ohio on February 7, 1928 to Carl and Nellie Greenler. They had her baptized and confirmed in St. John’s Lutheran Church in Holgate, Ohio.
She graduated from Holgate High School, Holgate, Ohio (1946), Valparaiso University with a BA degree(1952), Kahler Hospital School of Nursing(1952), University of Minnesota with MA, MS, and PhD degrees(1974,78, and 85). She was elected to membership in Sigma Theta Tau, a national nursing honor society. During her career, she was a member of local and national nursing organizations and held a number of offices in them.
Norma taught at Methodist-Kahler School of Nursing, St. Mary’s School of Nursing, Saint Teresa’s College, Rochester Community College, and Winona State University, retiring as Professor of Nursing Emeritus. She was the first full-time faculty member hired by Winona State University to teach on the Rochester Campus. She helped to design and taught in the ladder and master’s program for nursing at Winona State University.
She wrote 4 editions of the nursing textbook, Clinical Nursing Techniques, 11 editions of Drugs and Solutions for Nurses, contributed to several editions of Mosby’s Comprehensive Review of Nursing and to nursing journals. The textbooks were translated into several languages. The American Journal of Nursing recognized Clinical Nursing Techniques as the book of the year. She presented research nationally. She is listed in numerous Who’s Who publications and was nominated by a former student and presented with a faculty Certificate of Honor by the State Board for Community Colleges in 1991.
She was a member of the Rochester Quilt-society. For several years, she co- conducted the Bernina Club and the Embroidery Club at Dave’s Creative Sewing Center. She was an award winning quilter. She also created a number of banners for Bethel Lutheran Church. She was a life member and past president of Methodist-Kahler School of Nursing Alumni. She was a life member of the Senior Citizens, a member of Bethel Lutheran Church, Sons of Norway, and a member of the History Center of Olmsted County.
Norma and Harold Dison were married on August 15, 1953 at Trinity Lutheran Church, in Rochester, Minnesota. In addition to her husband of 60 years, she is survived by one son, Larry (Debbie) Dison, Major United States Army retired, Louisville, KY and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by one son Val Ludwick Dison, 3 sisters, and 5 brothers.
Norma’s Funeral Service will be held at 11am Tuesday, March 11, 2014 at Bethel Lutheran Church (810 SE 3rd Avenue, Rochester) officiated by Pastor Norman Wahl. Visitation will be from 5:00pm – 8:00pm, Monday, March 10, 2014, in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home, (1105 12th Street SE, Rochester) with a 7:00pm prayer service officiated by Pastor Anjanette Bandel and Elizabeth McGeeney, director of the Children’s choir. Vistiation will also be one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Bethel Lutheran Church, Rochester or Good Earth Village, Spring Valley, MN.
On-line condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com.
Condolences
The family of Norma Dison, PhD, RN has received the following condolences.
What a wonderful teacher. Uniform starched, cap on her head, she taught us the fundamentals of nursing practice and the skills of Med-Surg nursing. It was a great foundation for all of us.
My condolences to the Dison family.
Mary Cramer Simpson BSN, MSN
College of St. Teresa, 1972
My condolences to the family of Norma Dison. She was dedicated to the Nursing profession and served it well.
I am a Nurse Practitioner in Rural Ky and I know many of her other students from the class of 1973 have also furthered their education and are contributing to the profession in her footsteps.
Thank you for sharing her with us.
My mentor and best nursing instructor of all times. Norma was an advocate for those who were weak, disenfranchised and vulnerable. Always assertive but fair and unbiased. Patient centered and never motivated by profit. Thank you Norma for giving me hope, encouragement and determination to go on 21 years ago, when all odds were against me. Until we meet again......... RIP
I first met Norma 42 years ago, in 1972, when she was my teacher at the College of St. Teresa School of Nursing. Back then, she was respectfully known as "Mrs. Dison". She was a strong woman and a highly skilled nurse. She was the epitome of intellectual prowess and was a true example of how to set your goals and work hard to make them happen. At the time, she was working on her first Master's Degree and she just completed her first book, "Clinical Nursing Techniques". (I still have my copy: A hard back with a yellow cover and red letter highlights with her name as the author. I was positively "star-struck". This was MY teacher...). Little did I know that this was just the beginning of her professional accomplishments.
But Norma was more than "just" a nurse, "just" a teacher. To me, she was a mentor and a true inspiration. For whatever the reason, she set her sights on me, knowing this 19-year-old girl lacked the confidence and maturity it would take to get through a challenging program without her help. However, she also recognized that I had the potential for success. She honed in on me with her laser focus and spent a lot of extra time helping me face the inner demons that were holding me back. She met my parents for dinner one night when they were up from Chicago. The three of them sat down with me to lay out the plan for the next couple years. I WAS going to graduate from CST (even though I didn't think I wanted to). I WAS going to be a nurse (even though I wasn't convinced I could do it). And she was going to help me every step of the way. Case was closed, no further discussion necessary. She did, for me, what I could not do for myself...she believed in me. And I wouldn't be where I am today without her powerful influence and caring heart.
She was a brilliant teacher, a kind and thoughtful soul. And she knew exactly what she had to do to help me look deep inside. Mrs. Dison made a major investment in my future. And it was because of her that I found the drive to be the best nurse and the best woman I could be.
Out of all the people in the world, I would have loved to spend one more day with this wonderful lady. We reconnected 2 years ago online, with the hope of meeting face to face, after all these years. She had been on my mind this past week and, oddly enough, I just sent her an email yesterday, letting her know I was coming to Rochester in 4 weeks for a wedding. After working through some complicated family situations, I was finally going to be able to see her again. Looking for her address on Google, I was deeply saddened to read her obituary in the Post Bulletin, realizing I would never have the chance to look in her eyes, share my stories of these past 40 years, show her that her time and effort were so valued, and that she could be proud of me. I was looking forward to that moment when I would give her a hug and tell her, in person, how much she meant to me. Although I'll have to live with the "unfinished business", I am grateful that we had corresponded and she knew she was still a presence in my life today.
Dr. Norma Dison was my professional mentor, my personal inspiration, my champion and my friend. She changed my life forever. My most heartfelt condolences go out to Harold (who she loved so much), Larry (who she was extremely proud of), her family and friends, and all of us who were privileged to know her, to share in her wisdom and love, and to experience her as part of our life journey.
Kitty Moore, RN, BSN
College of St. Teresa, Class of 1974
Manager, Case Management and Discharge Planning Services
Beaver Dam, Wisconsin