NORBERT ANTHONY KINEN
June 19, 1933 - Aug. 27, 2011
Gresham resident Norbert Anthony Kinen, 78, died Saturday, Aug. 27.
Viewing hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Gresham Memorial Chapel, 257 S.E. Roberts Ave. A funeral Mass will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, at St. Henry Catholic Church, 346 N.W. First St.
Norbert was born June 19, 1933, in St. Francis, Kan., to Phillip and Mary Kinen.
At age 26, Norbert was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest. He was named headmaster of the Abbey School of the Benedictine Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City, Colo. He later became abbot of the monastery, a position he held for several years until he decided to leave the priesthood. Norbert was frustrated with the unwillingness of church leaders to change to keep up with the times, according to a profile in the Oregon Association of Nurseries' "Digger" magazine.
In 1976, Norbert married Kathy Sloane and settled in Gresham. Kathy preceded him in death. In 2006, Norbert married Janice Kay Oestereich.
While serving as an abbot, Norbert had purchased numerous trees from Oregon for the monastery. He decided to go west and grow trees. He learned that J. Frank Schmidt & Son in Boring was fiscally sound and growing, so he applied for a job.
"When Norbert interviewed with us in 1975, we quickly came to the conclusion that we didn't want him working for any of our competitors," said J. Frank Schmidt III, president and chief executive officer. "We didn't have an opening for a manager at that time, so we put him to work counting trees. He quickly moved into a leadership position and contributed a great deal to what our nursery has become today."
Norbert eventually became senior vice president and chief administrative officer. He advocated for employees in areas such as health insurance, retirement benefits and safety. During his last years with the company, he worked closely with farm workers and congressional delegates on guest worker and immigration policy reform and farm worker housing issues, according to "Digger" magazine.
Norbert was active with the American Association of Nurseries and the Oregon Association of Nurseries, where he served as Mt. Hood chapter president in 1984 and as OAN president from 1994-95. He was inducted into the Oregon Nurserymen's Hall of Fame in 2002.
"Coming from outside the nursery business, Norbert had a fresh perspective and made us think outside the box with our marketing and promotion of trees," Schmidt said. "He was a man of high integrity and honesty, and a very caring person. He was fun to work with, and he was a great personal friend of our family."
Norbert retired in 2002 to start Kinen's Big & Phat Special Plants – a name his son suggested – and specialized in growing trees less common in the industry.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Gary Kinen; and sister, Sylvia Fisher.
Survivors include his wife; son, Norbert Anthony Kinen of Gresham; stepdaughter, Caitlin Fagerberg of Gresham; and sister, Catherine Kinen of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Remembrances may be made toward the Oregon Association of Nurseries' Education Trust, 29751 S.W. Town Center Loop W., Wilsonville, 97070.
Gresham Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.
Published by The Gresham Outlook, Aug 31, 2011.
June 19, 1933 - Aug. 27, 2011
Gresham resident Norbert Anthony Kinen, 78, died Saturday, Aug. 27.
Viewing hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Gresham Memorial Chapel, 257 S.E. Roberts Ave. A funeral Mass will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, at St. Henry Catholic Church, 346 N.W. First St.
Norbert was born June 19, 1933, in St. Francis, Kan., to Phillip and Mary Kinen.
At age 26, Norbert was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest. He was named headmaster of the Abbey School of the Benedictine Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City, Colo. He later became abbot of the monastery, a position he held for several years until he decided to leave the priesthood. Norbert was frustrated with the unwillingness of church leaders to change to keep up with the times, according to a profile in the Oregon Association of Nurseries' "Digger" magazine.
In 1976, Norbert married Kathy Sloane and settled in Gresham. Kathy preceded him in death. In 2006, Norbert married Janice Kay Oestereich.
While serving as an abbot, Norbert had purchased numerous trees from Oregon for the monastery. He decided to go west and grow trees. He learned that J. Frank Schmidt & Son in Boring was fiscally sound and growing, so he applied for a job.
"When Norbert interviewed with us in 1975, we quickly came to the conclusion that we didn't want him working for any of our competitors," said J. Frank Schmidt III, president and chief executive officer. "We didn't have an opening for a manager at that time, so we put him to work counting trees. He quickly moved into a leadership position and contributed a great deal to what our nursery has become today."
Norbert eventually became senior vice president and chief administrative officer. He advocated for employees in areas such as health insurance, retirement benefits and safety. During his last years with the company, he worked closely with farm workers and congressional delegates on guest worker and immigration policy reform and farm worker housing issues, according to "Digger" magazine.
Norbert was active with the American Association of Nurseries and the Oregon Association of Nurseries, where he served as Mt. Hood chapter president in 1984 and as OAN president from 1994-95. He was inducted into the Oregon Nurserymen's Hall of Fame in 2002.
"Coming from outside the nursery business, Norbert had a fresh perspective and made us think outside the box with our marketing and promotion of trees," Schmidt said. "He was a man of high integrity and honesty, and a very caring person. He was fun to work with, and he was a great personal friend of our family."
Norbert retired in 2002 to start Kinen's Big & Phat Special Plants – a name his son suggested – and specialized in growing trees less common in the industry.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Gary Kinen; and sister, Sylvia Fisher.
Survivors include his wife; son, Norbert Anthony Kinen of Gresham; stepdaughter, Caitlin Fagerberg of Gresham; and sister, Catherine Kinen of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Remembrances may be made toward the Oregon Association of Nurseries' Education Trust, 29751 S.W. Town Center Loop W., Wilsonville, 97070.
Gresham Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.
Published by The Gresham Outlook, Aug 31, 2011.
NORBERT ANTHONY KINEN
June 19, 1933 - Aug. 27, 2011
Gresham resident Norbert Anthony Kinen, 78, died Saturday, Aug. 27.
Viewing hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Gresham Memorial Chapel, 257 S.E. Roberts Ave. A funeral Mass will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, at St. Henry Catholic Church, 346 N.W. First St.
Norbert was born June 19, 1933, in St. Francis, Kan., to Phillip and Mary Kinen.
At age 26, Norbert was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest. He was named headmaster of the Abbey School of the Benedictine Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City, Colo. He later became abbot of the monastery, a position he held for several years until he decided to leave the priesthood. Norbert was frustrated with the unwillingness of church leaders to change to keep up with the times, according to a profile in the Oregon Association of Nurseries' "Digger" magazine.
In 1976, Norbert married Kathy Sloane and settled in Gresham. Kathy preceded him in death. In 2006, Norbert married Janice Kay Oestereich.
While serving as an abbot, Norbert had purchased numerous trees from Oregon for the monastery. He decided to go west and grow trees. He learned that J. Frank Schmidt & Son in Boring was fiscally sound and growing, so he applied for a job.
"When Norbert interviewed with us in 1975, we quickly came to the conclusion that we didn't want him working for any of our competitors," said J. Frank Schmidt III, president and chief executive officer. "We didn't have an opening for a manager at that time, so we put him to work counting trees. He quickly moved into a leadership position and contributed a great deal to what our nursery has become today."
Norbert eventually became senior vice president and chief administrative officer. He advocated for employees in areas such as health insurance, retirement benefits and safety. During his last years with the company, he worked closely with farm workers and congressional delegates on guest worker and immigration policy reform and farm worker housing issues, according to "Digger" magazine.
Norbert was active with the American Association of Nurseries and the Oregon Association of Nurseries, where he served as Mt. Hood chapter president in 1984 and as OAN president from 1994-95. He was inducted into the Oregon Nurserymen's Hall of Fame in 2002.
"Coming from outside the nursery business, Norbert had a fresh perspective and made us think outside the box with our marketing and promotion of trees," Schmidt said. "He was a man of high integrity and honesty, and a very caring person. He was fun to work with, and he was a great personal friend of our family."
Norbert retired in 2002 to start Kinen's Big & Phat Special Plants – a name his son suggested – and specialized in growing trees less common in the industry.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Gary Kinen; and sister, Sylvia Fisher.
Survivors include his wife; son, Norbert Anthony Kinen of Gresham; stepdaughter, Caitlin Fagerberg of Gresham; and sister, Catherine Kinen of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Remembrances may be made toward the Oregon Association of Nurseries' Education Trust, 29751 S.W. Town Center Loop W., Wilsonville, 97070.
Gresham Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.
Published by The Gresham Outlook, Aug 31, 2011.
June 19, 1933 - Aug. 27, 2011
Gresham resident Norbert Anthony Kinen, 78, died Saturday, Aug. 27.
Viewing hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Gresham Memorial Chapel, 257 S.E. Roberts Ave. A funeral Mass will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, at St. Henry Catholic Church, 346 N.W. First St.
Norbert was born June 19, 1933, in St. Francis, Kan., to Phillip and Mary Kinen.
At age 26, Norbert was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest. He was named headmaster of the Abbey School of the Benedictine Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City, Colo. He later became abbot of the monastery, a position he held for several years until he decided to leave the priesthood. Norbert was frustrated with the unwillingness of church leaders to change to keep up with the times, according to a profile in the Oregon Association of Nurseries' "Digger" magazine.
In 1976, Norbert married Kathy Sloane and settled in Gresham. Kathy preceded him in death. In 2006, Norbert married Janice Kay Oestereich.
While serving as an abbot, Norbert had purchased numerous trees from Oregon for the monastery. He decided to go west and grow trees. He learned that J. Frank Schmidt & Son in Boring was fiscally sound and growing, so he applied for a job.
"When Norbert interviewed with us in 1975, we quickly came to the conclusion that we didn't want him working for any of our competitors," said J. Frank Schmidt III, president and chief executive officer. "We didn't have an opening for a manager at that time, so we put him to work counting trees. He quickly moved into a leadership position and contributed a great deal to what our nursery has become today."
Norbert eventually became senior vice president and chief administrative officer. He advocated for employees in areas such as health insurance, retirement benefits and safety. During his last years with the company, he worked closely with farm workers and congressional delegates on guest worker and immigration policy reform and farm worker housing issues, according to "Digger" magazine.
Norbert was active with the American Association of Nurseries and the Oregon Association of Nurseries, where he served as Mt. Hood chapter president in 1984 and as OAN president from 1994-95. He was inducted into the Oregon Nurserymen's Hall of Fame in 2002.
"Coming from outside the nursery business, Norbert had a fresh perspective and made us think outside the box with our marketing and promotion of trees," Schmidt said. "He was a man of high integrity and honesty, and a very caring person. He was fun to work with, and he was a great personal friend of our family."
Norbert retired in 2002 to start Kinen's Big & Phat Special Plants – a name his son suggested – and specialized in growing trees less common in the industry.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Gary Kinen; and sister, Sylvia Fisher.
Survivors include his wife; son, Norbert Anthony Kinen of Gresham; stepdaughter, Caitlin Fagerberg of Gresham; and sister, Catherine Kinen of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Remembrances may be made toward the Oregon Association of Nurseries' Education Trust, 29751 S.W. Town Center Loop W., Wilsonville, 97070.
Gresham Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.
Published by The Gresham Outlook, Aug 31, 2011.
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