Norman Carl Paulsen flew west on March 15. His flight began at his Whidbey Island, Wash., home with his family sending him off.
Norm was born in Milwaukee, Wisc., on Feb. 14, 1932, to Norwegian immigrant parents Carl and Dagny Paulsen.
At an early age, Norm developed a love for flying. He earned his pilot license by cleaning and fueling airplanes in exchange for flying lessons at a small, local airport called Hales Corners. He bought his first airplane, a Cessna 122, at age 18. He paid $750
Norm’s wish was to work as a missionary pilot, but fate intervened. After attending a few semesters at Moody Bible Institute and and Milwaukee School of Engineering, he was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. After serving, Norm used the GI Bill to acquire his pilot instrument rating. This qualified him to be hired by the Kearney and Trecker Co. as a private pilot and build up his flying hours. Norm was subsequently hired in 1956 by Capitol Airlines, which later became United Airlines.
Norm married his fist wife Judith Schendel in 1957. This union produced three children. A couple of years, after his divorce, a young, Swedish flight attendant walked onto his airplane in NYC in 1972. Kristina Mafort was a widow by a fellow United pilot. When they married in 1973, Norm gained a “bonus daughter.” At the time of Norm’s death, they had celebrated 48 years together.
Flying airplanes was Norm’s first big love, but he had many other interests and hobbies. Norm was a man of many talents, a real “fix-it guy” around the house and on the farm. Very early on, he became interested in computers and taught himself to program, which was mostly used in their business. Photography was always part of his life, as was painting, especially with water colors.
Animals were never a big part of Norm’s earlier life, but after marrying Kristina he embraced them all — dogs, cats, chickens and, especially, horses. They operated Pepperwood Farm together.
While living in Sonoma, Calif., they began to import and breed Swedish Warmblood horses, a breed especially well suited for dressage and jumping. They were both actively riding and competing. They eventually sold the farm and relocated with a few horses to Whidbey Island in 1990. Descendants from the one of these horses, a mare imported in 1978, still lives here on the island.
Norm leaves behind his wife Kristina; three children, Mark Paulsen (Darla), Sandra Paulsen and Julieanne (Rick) Rodriguez, all of Illinois; and Anna Mafort, of California; five grandchildren, Jordan, Jeremiah. Mark Jr., Erika and Gavin; and great-granddaughter Shelby.
Norm was predeceased by his only sister Christine Cunningham by three days. They will be buried together at Sunnyside Cemetery in Coupeville, Wash., in August.
