County Seat Newspaper
of Clare County

WILLIAM E. NORRIS

1928-2020

Posted

William E. Norris, age 92 of Clare, went to be with his Lord and Savior, after a short illness, surrounded by his family. Bill was born in Oak Park, IL on February 22, 1928, to the late Stanley and Lillian (Mottashed) Norris.  Bill proudly served in the United States Army, Military Police, in Seoul, Korea during WWII.  Later Bill became a firefighter for the Chicago Fire Department until his retirement in 1980. He often said that work was never boring since each day brought new and exciting experiences. Along with driving any type of fire equipment, he also was the fire house cook for his crew, who were appreciative of his culinary skills.  “No one went hungry on my shift”.  In 1980 Bill and his wife, Eileen moved to Florida and started a lawn care business that they ran for 20 years.

Bill was always a trivia, puzzle and game playing enthusiast. He also enjoyed watching or attending games of his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears. He started going to games as a young boy and paid a nickel to sit in the bleachers.  Another passion of Bill’s was anything Disney. Attending the parks on his scooter with his light and siren attached or adding to his extensive Disney pin collection was always a must for him. He entertained family and friends with many memorable stories from his life.

After moving to Michigan to live with his daughter in 2015, he was invited to join the American Legion Post in Farwell. That was the best thing for him in a new town and state. The men and women of Post 558 helped to enrich his life.  It was a blessing that this wonderful group of people took him under their wings!

Bill is Survived by his daughters, Georgene (Charles) Barnard and Gayle Gutchak; grandchildren, Rob, Ryan, Rory, Charlie, Chelsea and Caitlyn; great grandchildren, Hannah, Tayler, Blake, Carlie, Thomas, Emily, Avalyn, Fynn and Reyna.  Bill also enjoyed a unique and fun friendship with Clara Hancock, both in Florida and Michigan. Also, many newly reacquainted cousins, including Martha, Vivian and Billy.   Bill will be especially missed by his Goldendoodle, Teddy Bear, a constant companion and source of much entertainment. In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his brother, Stanley B. Norris, his wife Eileen Norris, and son-in-law Micheal Gutchak.

Visitation for Bill will begin at 12 noon, Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at Wilson MILLER Funeral Home, Midland, MI.  Funeral services will follow at 1:00p.m. with Pastor Doug Blackwell officiating. Internment with Military Honors will be at Cherry Grove Cemetery, Clare. Facial covering and social distancing are required. In lieu of flowers memorial may be directed to the Wounded Warrior Project. Personal messages of condolence may be directed to the family at www.wilson-miller.com.