Norita Halvorsen
Age - 83
December 1, 2023
Norita Julia Halvorsen1940-2023Norita Julia Halvorsen, 83, passed away peacefully on November 25, 2023, in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the beloved wife of Harold Halvorsen+, mother of Erik, Kirsten, and Karina, mother-in-law of Julie, John, and Doug, and proud grandmother/"Bestemor" of Haley, Jane, William, Abigail, Caroline, Aidan, and Anna. Norita "Reet" could tell a story like no one else. She had a quick wit and genuine interest in people, never forgot a birthday, insisted on playing Kool & the Gang's Celebration at every graduation, baby shower, any happy occasion, bought balloons for said occasions, could spot a bargain from a mile away (as a rule, she'd buy two of everything), kept a gift closet so she was always prepared to mark someone's milestone, could read three newspapers at once (and cut out hundreds of articles to mail to family and friends), watched every episode of Law and Order, Hill Street Blues, and M*A*S*H, loved show tunes, found time to volunteer for the PTA and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church preschool while raising three kids and working full-time, and lived by her favorite Rudyard Kipling line: Walk with kings [but never] lose the common touch. Born February 23, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York, to Dr. Joseph Randazzo and Alice O. Randazzo of Floral Park, New York, Norita was named for her parents' heritage: "Nor" for Norway and "ita" for Italy. She was a fierce protector of her younger sister, Beatrice. Norita graduated from Andrew Jackson High School and attended Queens College Nursing Science program, where she met many lifelong friends. After earning her RN, she received a scholarship to New York University, graduating with a master's degree in nursing in 1964. Norita enjoyed a 30-plus-year career as a professor of medical-surgical nursing at Nassau Community College on Long Island. She loved teaching, and many of her students kept in touch with her through the years. On a rainy night in July 1963, Norita went to a dance at the Garden City Hotel on Long Island. A handsome, reserved engineer with a slight accent asked her to dance. It turned out Harold "Hal" was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and had grown up in Norway. Norita had recently studied public health at the University of Oslo International Summer School, so the two had a lot to talk about. They were married June 6, 1964. They raised their family in Huntington, New York, where they lived for nearly 50 years. Reet and Hal had a wonderful retirement. They traveled the world, enjoyed hundreds of lunches, dinners, and cups of coffee with old friends, and never missed a grandchild's milestone. They moved to Northern Virginia in 2016 to be close to family. They were the best of friends until Hal passed away in 2020. Norita moved to Roland Park Place in Baltimore in April 2023. In addition to her children and grandchildren, Norita is survived by her niece Candice DeRousse. The family will hold a celebration of life in 2024 in Huntington (date to be determined). In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (Norita was a cancer survivor) or Roland Park Place (rolandparkplace. org).Show more
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