Lenore "Nor" Silbernagel

On December 13, 1963, in her hometown of Perham, MN, there was great joy when Lenore Janette Silbernagel was born to Norb and Marlene (Rickers) Silbernagel. At home, waiting to welcome their early Christmas gift was sister, Lynette and brother, Tom.

On February 21, 2025, at Sauk Prairie Healthcare near her home in Sauk City, WI, Lenore left this world for a better place after enduring a brave journey with cancer.

December 13, 1963 – February 21, 2025. Dates that will forever leave a mark in our lives. More importantly is that ‘dash’ – bolded to signify Lenore’s life which was well lived and full of celebration.

But first, there was work to be done. A committed work ethic was instilled early in life being a part of the family’s dairy operation. Lenore would be summoned early in the morning – “Snooks, it’s time for chores” - no matter what adventures may have occurred the night before. Morning milking and chores, evening milking and chores, and all the other farming activities in between. After graduating from Perham High School in 1982, Lenore attended Alexandria Technical College. From there, she accepted employment at a turkey processing plant in Frazee, MN followed by a stint at an egg plant in Perham. She then ventured to the east coast taking on a nanny position for a time. Desiring to be closer to home and family, Lenore moved to Wisconsin where she began work in 1990 with Plastic Ingenuity (PI) in Cross Plains. Her dedication to PI continued until her health decline brought about retirement in December 2024. PI didn’t just provide employment, they gave Nor another family.

Now onto her dash – times of celebration…

Births and Baptisms – Auntie Nory cherished each niece, nephew and on to the next generation of great-nieces and great-nephews.

Weddings and Anniversaries – Her siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Of course, there were the dances to accompany these events – wouldn’t be complete without a waltz, the butterfly and most definitely a polka.

Life Celebrations – Saying good-bye to family and friends that touched her life. Most importantly, were those for her parents and her sister, Lynette and brother-in-law, Jerry and great-niece, Romy. Her heart ached with loneliness for them, and we can only imagine the reunion was heavenly.

Birthdays – Always wanting to be a part in commemorating someone’s special day. In 2023, Lenore organized a 60th birthday party for herself. Family and friends from across the U.S. gathered in Wisconsin to celebrate - it was a grand occasion to reconnect. As we look back, the timing of her celebration was perfect.

Bailey – A stunning Sheltie that became an irreplaceable companion.

Trips – A multitude of sightseeing adventures throughout the U.S. and Europe, as well as an Alaskan Cruise.

Elvis – Her collection is extensive of “the King”.

Vikings – For crying in the beer, she lived in Packer Country! But her dedication to the Vikings was unwavering.

There is so much more to her dash – trips home to Perham, coffee and lunch outings, concerts, phone calls to check-in on her people or to chit-chat, family camp, craft fairs and just simply being present in all our lives.

Lenore shared in her last days how much she was going to miss her family and the hugs that come with those relationships. At the top of her list was her fur companion, Bailey. Next, her brother Tom and his wife Lisa of Perham, MN. Closely beyond that great love, are her nieces, nephews, and their families. Tom’s children include Marisa (Allen) Pruitt, Gabby and Langston of La Crosse WI; Colman (Erica) Silbernagel, Lincoln, Winston and Truman of Pella, IA; Devin (Emily) Silbernagel, Eli and Callie of Bismarck ND; and Abram (Marissa) Silbernagel, Henry and Crosby of Fergus Falls, MN. Lynette’s children include Mechelle Sazama (Daryl Paskvan), John and Anthony of Verndale, MN; Felecia (Nick) Schmidt, Harper and Indie of Mpls, MN; Jeremiah Sazama of Wilmington, VT; Joshua (Amanda) Sazama, and Audette of River Falls, WI; and Jerrell (Kayla) Sazama, Sullivan and Rowley of Boscobel, WI. Also of great importance are her cousins, other family members and countless friends and co-workers.

Those Lenore reunited with in heaven were her parents, Norb and Marlene Silbernagel; sister and brother-in-law, Lynette and Jerry Sazama; great-niece, Romy Sazama; her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of other family and friends.

Thank you to Lenore’s brother, nieces, nephews, family and friends that put a pause in their lives to assist Lenore in any way along this eight-month arduous journey. To her health providers, medical/oncology teams and Sauk Prairie Healthcare, your guidance and tender care - even after her last breath - will not be forgotten.

Lenore’s life celebrations will include a wake to be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 28, 2025, at Hooverson Funeral Homes, 251 Water Street, Sauk City, WI. In Perham, visitation will be 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. followed by the funeral Mass at 1:00 on Thursday, March 6 at St. Henry’s Catholic Church in Perham. Burial will be in St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery, Perham.

Schoeneberger Funeral & Cremation Service, Perham, MN (218) 346-5175 www.schoenebergerfh.com