Obituary of Emily Anne Nord

EMILY ANNE NORD

April 21, 1995 - September 15, 2023

Emily Nord, gentle and beautiful daughter, wife, sister, granddaughter, niece, and friend, passed from this earth on September 15, 2023, at 6pm, in Plymouth, MN, from Rhabdomyosarcoma, an extremely rare form of cancer. At the time of death Emily felt no pain and slipped quietly away with her devoted family gathered around her. Her dignity, grace, courage, and incredible strength were with her to the end. She was 28.

Em “the Gem” was born on April 21, 1995, in Waconia, MN, to Gretchen (Greta) Walch and Jay Nord, joining her older sister Sophia in the family.

Emily attended grade school at Our Lady of the Lake School, in Mound, MN; eighth grade at St. Therese School, in Deephaven, MN; and high school at Holy Family School, in Victoria, MN. Throughout her school career Emily excelled at being a friend. In grade school, for three years running, her classmates voted for Emily to receive the Good Citizenship award. Middle school and high school brought together a friend group she cherished till her final days.

Emily went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in 2017, at University of Wisconsin- Stout, in Menomonie, WI. It was here Emily met Michael Dykema, her rock, who supported her with patience, love, and steady kindness. They were married on September 3, 2021. An exemplary caregiver and husband, Mike made sure Emily’s wishes and path were always honored.

 After college, she followed her lifelong desire to attend beauty school, and earned her esthetician license from PCI Academy, in Plymouth, MN. She started her career at Excelsior Day Spa, building a faithful clientele. In April 2020, she joined her mother and sister at the family business, The Cave MN, in Mound, MN, where she was the spa manager and lead esthetician until her diagnosis in November 2021.

Emily and Mike bought their perfect home in January 2022. Emily’s sister Sophia painted rooms and helped in endless ways. Every lucky visitor commented on how the lovely space radiated calm and tranquility. Clean lines and simple elegance were Emily’s trademarks, also reflected in the way she dressed. Always a neutral palette, just like her paternal grandmother, “Yo-Yo.”

Her quest for beauty included travels to Europe, to Iceland with her sister, and a college semester abroad in London. She loved visiting her grandma “Buzzie’s” house in St. Louis and in Boca Grande Florida. Her last trip was to California, to spend time with her beloved uncle, Ted Walch, before he passed in September 2022. But Em’s favorite place was her home state of Minnesota, at her house, with Mike and her giant Dachshund, Nico, her vigilant protector.

Emily had a profound gift: she made you feel comfortable, seen, and authentically heard, a trait her clients, friends, and family treasured. Every friend felt like her best friend, every client like her most important. Emily allowed others to be themselves and feel good about it. Ease and kindness, along with some salty and sweet, was her way. Her softness lived alongside a fierceness which sustained her. Indeed, in her final months despite major physical limitations, Emily attended the marathon Taylor Swift concert in its entirety, singing and dancing with the multitude who would never have known how sick she was. Her physical beauty never left her, her radiance glowing through the cruel trials of her disease. Nurses fought over who would be lucky enough to treat Emily. Her primary oncologist wrote her to say she had learned so much from our Em. Her warm and generous spirit led medical personnel to ask, “Is she always like this?” Yes, yes, she was if it meant making others feel better.

The word strong is not enough to describe Emily, a shining star whose light burned so brightly it can never be dimmed. Her growth on this journey came from within, her ability to own her power and find her authentic agency was all part of her path. The cancer oddly gave Emily her personal power. She tackled her diagnosis fiercely and did it her way, making hard decisions and endless sacrifices with infinite strength. She is now released from her body, doing her work from above, on behalf of all of us.

Emily is survived by her husband, Michael Dykema; her mother, Gretchen (Greta) Walch Strouss and husband Michael Strouss and family; her father, Jay Nord; her sister Sophia Nord and husband Brett Cox; her grandmothers, Valerie Walch and Lael Nord; her mother-in-law, Roberta Dykema; her brother and sister in-laws, Robert Dykema, wife Lindsey, and their children; and many dear aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her grandfathers, Stanley Walch, and John Nord; her father-inlaw, Tom Dykema; and other close relatives.

We will honor Em with a celebration of her life on Sunday, October 15, from 11am- 3pm, amongst the flowers at the Como Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Dr, St. Paul, MN, 55103. Please wear something bright and cheerful.

Though she loved flowers, we ask memorials instead be made to Rein in Sarcoma, 7401 Central Ave NE, Ste A Fridley MN, 55432.

Emily’s family feels a profound shift, we are forever changed, forever miss her sweet countenance, forever grieve.

But she left us with the strength and resilience to move forward, to honor her by showing up for life, to contribute.

She advocated justice for all human beings, a champion for fairness and equality, a beacon of kindness and empathy for fellow humans.

Please know your support and love can be felt through our broken hearts.

We ask you to please remember her strength, courage, beauty, but mostly her love.