Nannette Norris Oberle of Monument Colorado died peacefully surrounded by her family on January 17, 2014 at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs. She was 71.

She was born on September 8, 1942 in Marshalltown to Albert L. and Betty Benziger Norris. Nan was raised on a family farm (which she loved so much) south of Marshalltown. It was a source of pride with Nan that she began her formal education through 6th grade in a nearby one-room country school (Spring Valley School District #4). Nan then attended Marshalltown schools graduating from Marshalltown High School in 1960, and then the University of Northern Iowa in 1964.

On June 6, 1964, a week after college graduation, Nan married Mike Oberle, a career Navy Officer in Marshalltown. Nan and Mike then embarked on a 20-plus year journey, residing in the Mediterranean, the Philippines, and the Aleutian Islands as well as on both US coasts and in Albuquerque, NM. Following Mike's military retirement, they moved to Monument, Colorado, built the home of their dreams and resided there for 30 years. Nan and Mike were happily married for 49 years.

Nan was a homemaker and caring mother of her sons, always making the best of things in establishing a new home for her family through frequent moves, sometimes arduous assignments and a good ration of family separation. Nan was an artist, a great gardener, an avid reader, and enjoyed fishing and camping with family. She was a loving and loyal career Navy wife and an American patriot.

She is survived by her loving family, husband Michael J. Oberle, sons Matthew J. (Sue) Oberle of Fort Collins, CO, and Alex P. (Hillery) Oberle of Cedar Falls, IA. Also surviving are sisters Chris (John) Fitzgerald of Monument, CO and Shelley (Kim) Barron of Marshalltown. Nan is also survived by cherished cousins in New Mexico, Maine, Colorado, and Michigan. She was preceded in death by her parents.

A funeral mass will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, January 23, 2014 at St. Peter Catholic Church at 55 N. Jefferson St., Monument, CO

Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ or to the family to support an art student scholarship at the University of Northern Iowa. To donate to the scholarship contact Alex Oberle at 319-266-3874.