LaVern NORTON

NORTON, BONENKO, MCKLIGET, HOODJER, ANDERSON, SANFORD, DOLAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/4/2010 at 12:40:32

November 30, 2002
Clarksville Star, Iowa

January 22, 1924 -- November 25, 2002

LaVern Norton, 78, of 308 1st Street S.E., Waverly, Iowa, died on Monday, November 25, 2002, at his home following a lengthy illness. LaVern was born on January 22, 1924, in Moorehead, Minnesota, the son of Earl and Ann (Bonenko) Norton. When LaVern was 5 years old, he moved with his family to Clarksville, Iowa. He attended school in Clarksville, graduating from the Clarksville High School in 1942. On 4 June, 1942, LaVern entered the U.S. Army, where he served during WWII, and was active in the D-Day Invasion. LaVern was honorably discharge on 12 June, 1946, and returned home to Clarksville. On October 2, 1947, LaVern was united in marriage to Mary McKliget in Belmond, Iowa, and to this union Tom, Pat, Dan and Mark where born. The couple made their home in Waverly, where the couple ran the Clarksville Roller Dome from 1947 - 1955. In 1950, LaVern also went to work for the Shield-Bantam Company (now Terex) in Waverly as a truck driver. In 1965, LaVern started the Norton Box Company north of town and continued to drive for Bantam until he retired in 1986. He then continued with the Box Company until it was sold in 1989. LaVern was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waverly, and a member of both the American Legion Post #176 and V.F.W. Post #2208. He enjoyed to hunt, trap and fish, he collected baseball cards and beer cans, was an avid Cubs Fan, and really enjoyed his work driving for Bantam. But most of all, LaVern loved spending time with his family, and card playing with friends and family at Doc’s Tap in Clarksville.

LaVern is survived by his wife, Mary of Waverly; his four sons and their wives, Tom & Diane Norton of Orlando, Florida, Pat & Diann Norton of Clarksville, Dan & Paulette Norton of Waverly, and Mark & Karen Norton of Waverly; 10 grandchildren, Ben & Chris Norton, Tony Norton, Tim Norton & his wife, Janie, Julie Hoodjer & her husband, Tom, Amie Norton, Wendy, Andrew, Matt & Mitch Norton; 2 great grandchildren, Mallory Hoodjer & Nate Norton; two brothers, Jim Norton & his wife, Leila of Clarksville, Gordon Norton of Decorah and a sister, Connie Anderson & her husband, Jerry of Wichita, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Eugene “Gene” Norton in 1999; three half sisters, Pat Sanford, Mayburne Rose Dolan, Marlys Norton, and a half brother, Everett Norton.

A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, November 27, 2002, at 10:30 A.M. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waverly, with Rev. Mike Tauke presiding. Burial with military graveside rites conducted by the American Legion Post #176 will be in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Waverly. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 26, 2002, from 3:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M at the Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly, where there will be a public scripture service at 8:00 P.M. Memorials may be directed to the family, and a memorial fund will be established at a later date.