Norma Duppler is the mother of Lynn Duppler, WSU DVM Class of 2011. Norma, who passed away in January, 2006, began painting when she was 12-years-old, and became quite skilled in oils. She held several one-person shows in North Dakota. Norma, who was completely self taught, was also a talented jewelry maker and photographer.
Norma attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, where she majored in English, Spanish, and Education. She taught high school for several years, including four years at the North Dakota State School for the Deaf. Leaving education, she became a reporter for the Bismarck Tribune and spent 6 years “on the beat”. She truly found her niche, however, in 1991 when she became the Barnes County, North Dakota, Emergency Manager , a position she held until her death.
Norma’s paintings are grounded in her life experience. If she could not complete a painting on location, she would take a photograph of the scene and finish it in her studio. She painted what she knew best—scenes from her home state. She often used her children, family members, and animals as models. Norma was married to the same man, Alan, for one month shy of 33 years. In addition to Lynn, she had a son, William, who is a medical physicist working in Duluth, Minnesota.
