Don Orville Norton Sr., 84, died Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009, at his home in Winona.
He was born Dec. 20, 1924, at Winona, son of James Franklin Norton Jr. and Elsie Alice Norton. He and Lucy Bell Vermillion were married May 14, 1947 at Eminence. She died May 17, 1994. He and Ruby Earls King were married Oct. 13, 1995.
He enlisted in the Navy and served as a fireman during WWII. He was honorably discharged March 21, 1946.
After returning from the war, he worked at Fisher Body in St. Louis. He moved back to Winona and was postmaster for 11 years. He retired from Paramount Cap Factory after 32 years of faithful service.
He served on the Winona School Board for 43 years. He was president 20 of those years. The new multipurpose building at Winona Schools was named “The Don O. Norton Sr. Multipurpose Building” in his honor.
Don was active in many organizations. He represented the school district at Colorado and Washington, D.C., during the 1980s and received funding for the school and gymnasium. He was president of the Lions Club for many years and was active in other community organizations, including the Masonic Lodge, Odd Fellows Lodge, Ozark Economic Opportunity Board for 25 years, County ASC for 15 years and the Three Rivers Sheltered Workshop.
He was a member of the Church of God of Prophecy Church in Winona and attended when his health had allowed.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Lucy Norton; seven brothers, Fred “Pete,” Delbert “Lindy,” David, Elwood, George, Charles and James; and a sister, Mary Norton Bryson.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby of Winona; two sons, Don O. Norton Jr. of Winona and Jerry Dallas Norton of Alton; two sisters, Hazel Norton DeVore of Winona and Ellen Kathyrn Norton Howard of Doniphan; seven grandchildren; a sisters-in-law, Tillie Norton-Studler, lives in Houston; and a host of nieces, nephews, other family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Don O. Norton Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund at Security Bank of the Ozarks in Winona.
Services were Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Winona Schools with the Rev. Gary Reagan officiating. Burial was in Pinelawn Cemetery at Winona under the direction of the Duncan Funeral Home.
