Margaret "Peggy" Norstog

Margaret (Peggy) Louise Norstog passed away on July 10, 2026, at her home in Fargo, ND, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born on November 12, 1937, and was the daughter of William A. (Sr.) and Frances Clauss of Springfield, Ohio. Peggy graduated from Springfield High School in 1955, and her intelligence placed her near the top of her class with highest honors. She attended Wittenberg University and graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education.

She began her career at Schaefer Junior High in Springfield, teaching English and starting the Spanish program. During this time, she became friends with Magnhild (Muggs) Norstog, a fellow English teacher. Muggs introduced Peggy to her brother, Bjarne (Barney) Norstog, while he was visiting from North Dakota. Peggy and Barney were married on March 2, 1963, and made their home in Watford City, North Dakota, where they raised their four children: Krista, Jon, Ann Marie, and Margrit (Meg).

Peggy was a city girl that eventually learned to adjust to farm life. She spent the first ten years of her married life as a homemaker, active farm wife, and stay-at-home mother to her children. She still had that city girl in her and would deliver meals to the fields and occasionally drive a tractor wearing a dress, purse, and full make-up. Eventually, Peggy was not trusted to drive a tractor after a near-disaster.

Peggy re-entered the teaching world in 1975 and had a career as an English teacher for 25 years at Watford City High School. When WCHS needed a language course, she started the school’s first Spanish program.

Peggy was highly involved in her community and First Lutheran Church. She taught Sunday School, Bible School, and became the first female president of the church council and congregation. Peggy served as President of her teachers’ sorority, church circle, and homemakers club. She served as State Alumnae Chairman of Alpha Delta Pi National Sorority. Several small jobs she enjoyed were working as an adult mentor through Lutheran Social Services of ND and being a supervisor to older-than-average nursing students. She was editor of the newsletter for the Good Shepherd Nursing Home, headed their fund-raising campaigns, and read weekly to the residents.

After Peggy and Barney both retired, they moved to Fargo in 1996 to be closer to her children and their families. While in Fargo, Peggy was a long-term substitute teacher and enjoyed working with special needs children. She also worked at her favorite store, Stabo, on a limited basis. Peggy’s favorite job, however, was nannying her grandchildren during the summer months.

Peggy’s long-time hobbies included cooking, writing, reading, traveling, and shopping. She enjoyed keeping in touch with friends and family through letters and email, as well as learning endless trivia through non-fiction reading. She enjoyed her travels visiting her children and their families in Raleigh, North Carolina. Peggy also appreciated spending time with her children and attending her grandchildren’s school activities in Fargo.

Travel was always Peggy’s big love. She traveled to most states in the US, plus many foreign countries. Peggy and Barney spent many winters as snowbirds in Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina. Peggy’s favorite trip was to Norway where she visited many relatives and saw the geographical and cultural roots of Barney’s family who emigrated from there. She also loved cruising to the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, and the Mediterranean.
Although being awarded Teacher of the Year in Watford City and Teacher of the Quarter while subbing a full year in Fargo, she felt her greatest success in life was parenting and grandparenting. She felt that living on the prairie near the Badlands in western North Dakota had a very positive effect upon her and her family.

Peggy is survived by her sister-in-law, Magnhild Madsen, Sioux City, IA; her brother William A. (Judith) Clauss, Jr., Arivaca, AZ; and her children, Krista (Jeff) Leonard, Raleigh, NC; Jon (Laura) Norstog, Spokane, WA; Ann Marie Norstog (John Hatlestad), Raleigh, NC, and Margrit (James) Johannesson, Fargo, ND. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Jessica Norstog, Ethan (Kelsey) Norstog, James Keith Johannesson, Margrit (Alec) Staiger, Annaliese Norstog Hatlestad and Elizabeth Norstog Hatlestad. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Mathias and Emerson Norstog.

Peggy was preceded in death by her parents, William A. (Sr.) and Frances Clauss; sister-in-law, Solveig Norstog; brothers-in-law, Konrad Norstog and George F. Madsen; and niece, Michelle Madsen.