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Jay Paul Norelius, age 82 of Lindstrom, MN passed away peacefully on April 20, 2023 surrounded by his wife Caroline of 52 years and two sons.  Preceded in death by parents Paul and Carol Norelius.  He is survived by wife Caroline; son Brian (Katie); grandchildren Blake and Brennen and son Brad; grandchildren Aaron and Rebecca; brother Neil (Carla); and many close family and friends.  

Jay was raised in a third generation family home on South Lindstrom Lake in Lindstrom.  He had an immense lifelong love and respect for his parents.  He enjoyed playing basketball in his yard and played for the high school team with a game high of 28 points.  He graduated from Chi-Hi High School in 1959.  His love for basketball continued through life, playing in multiple organized leagues.  He continued to watch his children and grandchildren play organized sports.

After high school, he was asked by his brother Neil to work with him at Sterling Supply in Minneapolis at the front desk, which ended up lasting for over 40 years, working for many years with Neil’s three sons Blaine, Bart, and Bryce.  In his position, he certainly was able to use his gift of communication!  Jay could talk! At age 19, Jay’s interest in real estate began.  A dear mentor, a local realtor, Charlie Sundberg, told Jay he should buy 20 acres out on the Sunrise River between Lindstrom and North Branch.  Jay’s jobs at local businesses and an early start with his brother, didn’t provide him with the finances to purchase the land.  Charlie saw the kindness, work ethic, and loving nature of a young man and decided to invest in him and financed the purchase, including a down payment.  Jay’s passion and love for buying, preserving, and nurturing numerous properties began.   Friends and family came together to build a small cabin on the property situated on a unique point overlooking the Sunrise River.  This became “The Cabin” that has been his passion for the past 60-plus years.  He loved to share and enjoy this special place for many occasions including “Twisting Parties” in the early 1960’s to a yearly deer hunting week, birthdays, and casual gatherings on the hillside.  He wanted everyone to enjoy this special place.

In 1969, he was sitting in Poik’s Barber Shop and saw his future wife walk across the street and stated that he would marry this woman one day.  Sure enough, on May 23, 1970 he wed Caroline in Wisconsin.  They built a home on South Center Lake in Lindstrom where they would start a family, having two sons, Brian and Bradley and they continued to live there for the past 50 years.  He spent many evenings and weekends teaching his sons how to water ski, play basketball, and spend time in the woods at “The Cabin”.  

Upon retirement in 2003, he spent his time enjoying his grandchildren Aaron, Rebecca, Blake, and Brennen.  “The Cabin” continued to be the gathering spot for family and friends.  He enjoyed his collection of cars, baseball cards, and comic books.  Many of these were childhood purchases that he saved and preserved.  One of his favorite cars was his 1958 Ford Fairlane Skyliner Hardtop Retractable he purchased at Ray Nelson’s Ford dealership in Lindstrom in 1959.  After owning the car twice, he lost track of it for many years.  In 1995, he found the car after it sat in a corn field.  It was his car!  He eventually restored the car and has loved it ever since. 

Jay had a deep love for family, friends, history, our community, and his Swedish heritage.  His carefree love for life and family made him a special husband, dad, grandpa, father in-law, brother, and uncle.  He is greatly missed and will be forever in our hearts. 

Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 28, 2023 at Trinity Lake Lutheran Church in Lindstrom, MN, with visitation from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. at the church.  Interment at Fairview Cemetery in Lindstrom, MN.  Memorials are preferred to Trinity Lutheran Church or Lutheran Social Services.  Arrangements by Grandstrand Funeral Home in Lindstrom, MN.  Condolences may be expressed online at www.grandstrand fh.com

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