OBITUARY Noma Ferne Wolf December 17, 1924 – January 4, 2019 Beloved Mother and Friend Obituary of Noma Wolf Visitation will be held at 11:00 at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home on Friday, January 11th, followed by graveside committal service at 1:00 pm, at Forest Law Cemetery, Gresham, Oregon. Noma passed away January 4th surrounded by her family’s love and care. She was 94 years old.
Noma Ferne Misterek was born December 17, 1924, in Harrold, South Dakota – the eldest of five surviving children born to Carl Misterek and Eva Misterek (nee Gogolin). Noma’s life focused on her family and friends, her relationship with God, and her work as a teacher. She was baptized January 25, 1925 in Immanuel Lutheran Church, in Harrold, SD.
Her sponsors were George Misterek and Clara Gogolin. Noma was confirmed in June, 1942 also in Immanuel Lutheran Church. Noma began her teaching career in a 1-room school house during WWII.
Following the war, she continued teaching in Harrold, South Dakota. She began dating another teacher at her school, Rueben Wolf. Noma and Rueben were married at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Harrold, South Dakota on August 15th, 1948.
On their honeymoon through the Southwest, they fell in love with New Mexico. After completing their teaching 1948 commitments, they moved to Albuquerque. Noma completed her bachelors degree at the University of New Mexico in 1952.
Noma and Rueben had their first son, Marcus, in 1955, and their second son Michael in 1956. They moved to Long Beach, California, shortly after Michael’s birth. Noma took a hiatus from teaching until Michael began kindergarten in 1961.
She was hired by the Centralia School District as an elementary school teacher, and taught there until the birth of her son Martin in 1962. Noma stayed home with Martin until he started elementary school. Noma returned to teaching in the Centralia District until her retirement in June, 1989.
Noma and Rueben were among the charter members of Bethel Lutheran Church, in Buena Park, California. Noma was always very active in the church, serving as a Sunday School Teacher, Adult Bible Study Teacher, and represented the church with the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. The church served as a rich of friends for the Wolf family that served as a great of spiritual strength.
Noma stayed in contact with a number of Bethel members until her passing. To pursue her interest in both outreach and teaching, beginning in the Summer of 1989, Noma volunteered with the English Language Institute China (ELIC). Between the summer of 1989 and spring 1994, she taught English and shared her beliefs with hundreds of Chinese students.
Her experience in China invigorated her spirituality, and enriched her understanding and appreciation of other cultures. After completing her work in China, she moved from Southern California to the Portland, Oregon area in 1994 to be close with her mother and siblings. Noma again was very active in her church life, and applied her English-as-a-Second-Language skills to help establish an ESL program at Ascension Lutheran Church in Gresham, Oregon.
She is survived by her son Martin Wolf, her son Michael Wolf and his wife Mary Ellen Kennally Wolf, her grandchildren Michaela and Christopher Wolf, and her siblings Roger Misterek, Leon Misterek, and Yvonne Misterek. She is predeceased by her husband Ruben Wolf, her son Marcus Wolf, and her brother Wallace Misterek. Noma requested that memorials be made to Ascension Lutheran Church in Portland, or to the American Bible Society’s Bibles for China program.
Donations to Ascension should be mailed In Care Of Noma Wolf to: Ascension Lutheran Church 1440 SE 182 Ave.
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