Norita Marie Kress

Norita Marie Kress, 86, passed away on May 17, 2025, at Good Samaritan Society -St. Vincent’s in Bismarck, ND.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, May 31, 2025, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 1919 N 2nd St., Bismarck, with burial to follow at the St. John's Catholic Cemetery, Beach, ND.

Visitation will be Friday, May 30, 2025, from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service, 2302 E. Divide Ave, Bismarck. A rosary/vigil service will begin at 7:00 PM.

Norita was born on November 9, 1938, to Frank and Frances (Thill) Kress. She grew up on a farm outside of Beach and graduated from Beach High School in 1956. After high school, Norita received her teaching certification from Dickinson State Teachers College in 1957 and taught at Westerheim School north of Sentinel Butte, ND, for one year. She then transitioned from teaching to business services (records, bookkeeping, accounting, and office manager) in 1961. She worked for various Bismarck/Mandan businesses, including Q & R Clinic, Haas International, Skippers Franchise, and Lanier Business Office Systems Inc.

Norita was the WIBC Bowling League Champion two years in a row and was their secretary for over ten years. She was an active parishioner (Lector, Woman’s Guild, Eucharistic Minister) at St. Mary’s and Corpus Christi Catholic Churches (Bismarck).

Norita was an avid reader, exchanging boxes of books to read with her mother and sister. She loved playing card games and dominoes with friends and family.

She was a frequent traveler, starting with the family’s first vacation to Moxee, WA in 1949. Right after high school she went to Hawaii with her girlfriends, but Norita’s primary traveling companion was her mother, Frances. Traveling via car, plane, train, and sometimes by foot, their trips stretched from Alaska to Florida, California to Connecticut, North Dakota to Texas, and most states in between—visiting family and tourist attractions.

Norita devotedly cared for her mother with regular weekend trips to Beach and later with daily visits to St. Vincents. She was a trusted cornerstone for the family, present for major family events (marriages, baptisms, graduations, reunions, and holidays).

Norita was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Frances, sister, Marilyn Burkhardsmeier, brother, Raymond Kress, sisters-in-law, Linda Kress and Ann Little Wolf; and niece-in-law, Robin Kress.

Norita is survived by her brothers, Dennis Kress (Linton, ND), Deryl Kress (NM), Dana Kress (NY); sister Kerry Ann and husband Danny Mitchel (MN); sister-in-law Bonnie Kress (PA); her nieces: Karla Cheek (AK), Sheila Kelsch (Linton), and Christy Roster (MN); her nephews, Kent Burkhardsmeier (MT), Kevin Kress (PA), Marc Kress (Bismarck), Jay Kress (PA), Jason Mitchel (MN); and her lifelong friend Larry Rustand (Bismarck).