Norma Hoffman Karsten

Norma H. Karsten departed peacefully to her Lord on Wednesday, 24 February 2021, at her Columbus, Ohio home in the loving care of her daughter. Born in 1936, Norma was the youngest of four true daughters of Missouri, all of whom were born and raised in Sweet Springs by parents Irvin and Bertha Hoffman. Norma ventured from Sweet Springs to St. John’s College in Winfield, Kansas, thence to work in Kansas City where she met and was courted by her husband Rev. Dr. Robert E. Karsten (1930-2014). Married in 1960, Norma had two children, Anne (b. 1963) and Thomas (b. 1966), and she made homes for her family in Missouri, Indiana, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey and Ohio. She maintained a lifelong devotion to her Lutheran faith through which she drew strength, experienced joy, and derived solace. As a mother, she not only showered her children with love, affection and merriment, but also passed on simple yet powerful lessons of thrift, industry and quiet dignity. Norma was also blessed with a cherished and loving relationship with her three sisters. Norma enjoyed foreign travel, and was fulfilled in her life and journeys through her study of and deep resonance with art, architecture, and design. She made these lessons palpable in her gracious surroundings and way of living throughout the entirety of her life. Truly, she put forth the thought and careful effort that demonstrated her innate sense of style and elegance through attentiveness to the whole via detail, which graced all her work and expression with impeccability. Above all, Norma was a wonderful mother and wife, who was likewise true and loyal to her friends. She had an abiding sense of humor and possessed a quick and mischievous wit. She loved to entertain and be entertained, but was also content in her own company and that of her family. For those fortunate enough to have been impressed by Norma, the impression lasted, as indeed it lasts. Norma is survived by beloved sisters Betty Redeker and Margaret Lauth, her two children, and four grandchildren Katie, Eric, Emma and James. Any gifts in recognition of Norma would be gratefully received by All Saints Lutheran Church, 6670 High St., Worthington, OH, 43085.

Norma Hoffman Karsten

April 17, 1936 - February 24, 2021