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The Nora Staael Everett Award

To recognize an individual or individuals who enhance and promote the profession of Physical Therapy through chapter and community service. Criteria, Eligibility and Procedures = see awards pdf here

Past Recipients

About Nora Staael Everett

(From Northern State University, compiled by David Grettler, NSU,  on behalf of the family of Nora Staael Evert.)

Nora Bothilda Staael was born to Danish immigrants on a farm near Veblen, South Dakota on May 2nd, 1904. She spent much of her young adult life in Aberdeen, SD, where she went to school and eventually taught PE and any course dealing with her passion, movement, especially dance.

In the summer of 1942 Nora entered the Emergency Program in Physical Therapy at the Mayo Clinic.  By 1944 she was a practicing PT at the Mayo working for $110 per month.  Nora complained to her boss and got everyone a raise to $125 per month.  In 1945 she moved to the University of Illinois Research and Education Hospital in downtown Chicago where she was paid $350 per month.  It was there that Nora became the first licensed, full-time physical therapist.  Nora was known for always rewarding her patients.

From there Nora moved to Salt Lake City because it had the least amount of physical therapists.  After Salt Lake, Nora moved on to Santa Monica California where she was the Chief PT and Director of Physical Therapy at Kabat-Kaiser Institute.  Nora spent three years there working with Propriosceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), and a broad range of rehabilitation techniques for polio victims. Nora left Kabat-Kaiser in 1953.

At this time Nora moved to Missoula Montana where she became the Chief Physical Therapist at the Crippled Children's Center at Memorial Hospital, then on to be a Physical Therapist at Northern Pacific Hospital from 1958-1963.  Nora acquired Rheumatic illness that required her to temporarily retire from 1963-1966. Nora noted that she was "inactive for three years--generalized arthritis-beginning with swollen knees and feet.  Had to wear men's shoes."  She joined the faculty of the University of Montana in there "pre-physical therapy" program in 1967.  It was there that Nora enthusiastically returns to work, starts a rehabilitation clinic, arranges teaching programs and public forum featuring recognized experts, and finds equipment and space for a new physical therapy department.  She also helps to design the department.  Nora was forced to retire in 1979; the same year a "complete" physical therapy program was established at the University of Montana.

On May 10th, 1980 Nora Staael married Dr. John Evert in Washington State.  A reception was held on May 18th 1980 in Missoula, the same day as the Mt. Saint Helens eruption.  Dr. Evert remembers driving Nora and her sister in the mountains near Lolo that day, and noticing a big dark cloud to the west; though it was a storm.  Nora was afflicted with macular degeneration; gave on interview in 1994 as she goes blind.

Nora Staael Evert died on Saturday 12 April 2003 at the age of 98 at Evergreen Care Center in Missoula, Montana.  Buried in Palestine Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery in Veblen, SD.

*Chronology courtesy of Dr. David Grettler, NSU,  on behalf of the family of Nora Staael Evert.