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Norman Tomio Nagasawa passed away on July 15, 2025 at Oak Park Heights Senior Living at the age of 88.

Born Aug 3, 1936, in Waipahu, Hawaii, he ended up a long-time resident of Minneapolis and Stillwater. He was a beloved teacher at Taylor Falls High School and the American Indian OIC, uncle, and partner to Dan Hicks.

Norman was the eighth out of nine children. He left Hawaii in 1954 and moved to California. After a couple of months, he decided he didn’t like California, and he moved to Minnesota upon the encouragement of his sister Carol who sent money to him to take a train to MN. He lived with Carol and her husband Takashi for a month before moving into a boarding house in Minneapolis for four years prior to him attending school.

Norman earned his degree from Mankato State University in 1963. It took him nine years to complete his degree as he worked in-between to pay for school, which was $40/quarter back then.

He began teaching in Walnut Grove, MN and then taught business at Taylor Falls High School for 25 years until the closing. He earned the nickname of Mr. Nags from his students. Afterwards, he taught at a business school for a short time and then finished his teaching career at the American Indian OIC.

He loved teaching and received numerous awards for Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Teacher voted by his students. He loved to travel during his summer breaks and would travel to Hawaii and New York on a regular basis to visit family. His world travel included China, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Soviet Union, Hong Kong, France, Japan, London, Hungary and Portugal.

In his later years, he traveled frequently with his partner Dan to Hawaii and Palm Springs.

He had an interest in antiquing, collected numerous Japanese prints and porcelain vases and loved Mickey Mouse which he developed a large collection of. But his pride was in his Christmas tree, which he often started decorating right after Halloween every year with hundreds of glass ornaments that he collected over many, many years and proudly displayed in many of his Christmas cards. When it began to be difficult for him to put up the Christmas tree, his niece Stacy took over and then Deb, one of his high school students, took over for the last few years.

It is at this time we’d like to express our deepest gratitude to all his friends and former students who helped him through these last few very difficult years and kept visiting him even until the end. Special thanks to Bob and Beth Kroening, Deb Julik-Heine and Darcy Werner. In his last days, he was surrounded by family and friends who respected and loved him.

Preceded in death by his partner Dan Hicks, parents and his brothers and sisters, Richard (Agnes), Fred (Agnes), Jon, Jeanne (Takao), John (Rosie), Carol (Takashi), Gerald (Carol) and Pauline.

Survived by a multitude of nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews from MN, MS, OH, CA and HI.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, September 20 from 1-3pm at the St. Croix Event Center, 5880 Omaha Avenue North, Stillwater, MN 55082.

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