Norma Jean Vinger

Norma Jean (Gillette) Vinger, 80, passed away on Thursday, January 9, 2020. She was born in La Crosse on April 12, 1939, to Norman and Jean (Martin) Gillette, Sr. On August 4, 1962, Norma married Donald Vinger.

Norma was a very kind person with strong family ties. In 1968, she donated one of her kidneys to her brother for a transplant. Her brother, Norman Jr., was so thankful, he started the Norma J. Vinger Breast Care Center at Gundersen Health System. She was a lady who never wanted any credit, yet she was very proud of the center and “Steppin’ Out in Pink”. Education and medicine were top priorities for Norma to donate to.

After college, Norma worked at a bank for a short time and then moved on to work with her father at Pepsi Cola Bottling Co. She was very proud of the business and the people who worked there.

Norma is survived by her husband, Don; and two sons, Eric, and his wife, DeeDee, and Christopher and his wife, Kelly, and their children, Kayla and Caden “CJ”, all of Arizona; and nieces and nephew, Sarah (Danny O’Brian), Marie (Janet), and Richard Gillette. She was preceded in death by her parents, Norman and Jean Gillette, Sr., and her brother, Norman, Jr.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 14 ^th , at First Presbyterian Church in La Crosse. Rev. Dr. J. Taylor Haley will officiate. Burial will take place in Oak Grove Cemetery. Guests may call on the family from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m., Monday at the church and also on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.

Norma’s family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Gundersen Health System, especially Drs. Elizabeth Cogbill, Mark Rostad and Kyla Lee. Also, special thanks to the staff at Brookdale Memory Care. They went above and beyond for her.

Instead of flowers, please make a donation to the Vinger Family Alzheimer’s and Dementia Fund or the Norma J. Vinger Breast Care Center at Gundersen Health System.