Norbert Martin Mielke Jr., 84, of Sarasota, Florida, went to his eternal home on June 1, 2025. Norbert was an accomplished adventurer his entire life and fancied himself a modern-day mountain man. He was known to jump up from a deep sleep, hop on a quad, and chase down any bear who dared to wander into the Mielke family campsite. He was also a man who loved the Lord.

Born on February 11, 1941, in Broken Bow, Nebraska, to Norbert and Goldie Mielke,

Norbert was baptized by his father, who was a pastor. As the oldest of seven children, Norbert lived in Nebraska and Wisconsin most of his childhood and teenage years. He was a bit of a rebel, sneaking out to attend dances, and the like. His escapades were usually found out through members of his father’s church unknowingly telling on him. Once a member complimented Norbert, telling his father that Norbert “had a lovely voice.” When asked how they knew, they reported that they heard him singing with a band at the local bar. After graduating from Winnebago Lutheran Academy in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin in 1959, Norbert moved to South Dakota to be a farm hand and then to Nebraska, where he worked as a heavy machinery operator and bowling alley manager.

In 1962, he married Diana (Hiemstra) Kubes. They had three children - Clayton Dean,

Deborah Rae, and Tammy Lee - before moving to Colorado in November of 1969. In December of 1970, their youngest child, Norbert Martin III, was born. Norbert and Diana divorced in 1978.

Norbert worked various jobs, including being the repairman for the laundry mats on the CSU campus, working at the Loveland sugar beet factory, laying carpet with his brothers at Mielke Brothers, managing the truck stop Johnson’s Corner, pouring cement and being a dispatcher for Loveland Ready Mix, and flipping houses before it was cool. After moving around and spending some years in Arizona and California, driving long-haul trucks, remodeling homes, and building churches, Norbert returned to Colorado.

On May 30, 1998, Norbert married Marilyn Hoy, and added Marilyn’s children, Tammy and Arthur III and their families, to the clan. Norbert and Marilyn loved to travel and explore. They made great use of their fifth wheel as a home and enjoyed adventures on their quad. Norbert was never afraid of an unknown trail, and only once had to call Marilyn to report where he was, in case he didn’t get back safely with grandson Chance Hill. They were happily married until Marilyn’s untimely passing on October 3, 2021.

Norbert moved to Florida shortly after losing Marilyn. There, he finally constructed his dream oasis in his backyard, with a koi pond filled with goldfish (complete with a two-tiered waterfall, and a Norb-invented four-level filtering system), a hot tub, and a tiki bar. His easy access to the ocean via the canal in his backyard caused concern for his children as it wouldn't be much of a stretch to imagine Norbert riding out a hurricane in his kayak out on the ocean, as he often mentioned was a real possibility.

Norbert’s health began to decline in early July 2024. He was in and out of hospitals and rehab centers until his body could no longer fight off the last infection and the Lord called him home. He died peacefully, simply pausing in his breathing, and went to heaven while listening to his favorite work, Handel's Messiah - specifically "For Unto Us A Child is Born" - a piece he used to brag about singing the soprano part in his falsetto voice in high school because none of the sopranos could hit the high notes! - when he went home.

Norbert is survived by his siblings: Clara (Verl) Nabor, Anna (Gary) Steinke, Jonathan

(Dawn) Mielke, Daniel (Phyllis) Mielke, and Nathan (Karen) Mielke; his children: Clayton

(Michelle) Mielke, Debbie (Ron) Hill, Tammy Mielke, Norbert Martin (Denise) Mielke III;

Marilyn’s children: Tammy (Mike) Zavori, Art (Stephanie) Hoy, and another stepdaughter, Theresa (Bob) Collins. He leaves behind 14 grandchildren: Cassie, Jake, Payden, Joshua, Lucas, Chance, Sierra, Jarrett, Jayden, Norbert Martin Mielke IV, Jessica, Chelsea, Ryan, and Megan; and ten great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother David, and parents Goldie and Norbert Sr.

Norbert’s funeral will be held at 10:00 a.m. on July 1, 2025, at Abiding Love Lutheran Church, 2825 E 1st St, Loveland, CO 80537. The funeral will be followed by a luncheon, with interment at 1:30 at Loveland Burial Park. In lieu of flowers, please send donations earmarked for The Norbert Mielke Jr. Scholarship Fund to support Christian education.

Norbert’s adventuresome spirit brought him in touch with countless strangers who then became friends. His ability to fix, or at least rig, anything earned him the nickname “Fixie.” He was also known to different families and friends as Bubba, Norb, Bert, Dad, Grandpa, and Opa. His list of “aliases” is long - he was a character to be sure. We mourn his loss but rejoice that he is in heaven and at peace.

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