JOSEPH T. NORTON 1918-2006

CREHAN, NORTON, GAVIN, SCHULTE, KRAUSE, GREAZEL

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 6/19/2006 at 20:43:25

Joseph Norton

Joseph T. Norton, 87, of Waukon, Iowa, died Wednesday, May 3, 2006, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Funeral services were held Monday, May 8, at St. Pius at Cherry Mound Catholic Church, rural Harpers Ferry, Iowa, with Fr. Louis Trzil officiating. Burial with graveside military rites was in the church cemetery. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon was in charge of arrangements.

Joseph Thomas Norton was born November 20, 1918, in the Lycurgus area of rural Lansing, Iowa. He was the son of Thomas and Catherine (Crehan) Norton. Joe was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary’s Lycurgus Catholic Church and attended Lycurgus rural school and Waukon High School. His father died when Joe was 13, so he worked hard helping to keep the family farm running from an early age. From 1942 until 1945 he served in the US Army as a TEC 5 with Company D of the 409th Infantry and saw duty in Rome, Southern France, Rhineland, Central Europe, and Sicily.

Following the service he returned to northeast Iowa where on January 30, 1950 he married Eunice Mae Gavin at St. Pius at Cherry Mound Catholic Church. Joe spent his early working career bartending for a number of people before owning and operating the Sportsman’s Club in Rossville for several years. He also sold feed to local farmers. Later he worked for Allamakee County in the road maintenance department for many years before his retirement in 1984.

Joe was a faithful member of St. Pius at Cherry Mound Catholic Church since his marriage. He was also a member of Scenic Post 722 of the American Legion in Harpers Ferry. He was a devout Chicago Cubs fan, an avid reader, and an accomplished pool player. He enjoyed bowling, fishing, and playing cards and had become a very good cook. Joe was also a strong proponent of the Right to Life Movement. He was a kind man, a good neighbor and friend, enjoyed animals, especially feeding the neighborhood cats, and dearly loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include his five children, Pamela Norton of Windsor, Wis., Perry (Karen) Norton, Patrice (Keith) Schulte, and Phil (Wendy) Norton, all of Waukon, and Paul (Elizabeth) Norton of Henderson, Nev.; nine grandchildren, Andrea (Dan) Krause, Brian Norton, Nicole (Luke) Greazel, Natalie Norton, Vanessa, Andrew, and Allison Schulte, and Tatum and Callie Norton; four great-grandchildren, Hannah and Gage Krause, Anna Norton, and Rylie Greazel; and a sister, Catherine Norton of Waukon.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Eunice, who died in 1984; a granddaughter, Christine; three brothers, Patrick, Francis, and Michael; and a sister, Mary Jane.

Casketbearers were Dan Krause, Brian Norton, Luke Greazel, Keith and Andrew Schulte and Rick Johnson. His granddaughters served as honorary casketbearers.

Waukon Standard, May 10, 2006