A note from Trudy –
Don was the most awesome man I ever knew. My respect and love for him is immeasurable. Everyone who knew him knows how selfless he was and how he lived all aspects of life with honesty, integrity and consideration for others. These qualities, along with his intelligence, created his great success as a person in life. I am blessed to have had him in my life as the best partner anyone could want. And now some statistics…
Don Norris, 72, passed away due to complications of his cancer on January 6th at Mercy Hospital with his wife, Trudy Norris, by his side.
Don grew up in North City and graduated from Central High School. As one would expect, Don had several jobs before even graduating high school and thereafter, working at Kroger and even Velvet Freeze as a child. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri State University and serving in the National Guard from 1969 – 1975 he began his insurance career working for Travelers Insurance. He later worked at Commercial Union Insurance Company for many years where he met and began a long and wonderful friendship with his future wife, Trudy.
In 1985 he began working for friend and mentor C. Peyton Daniel and The Daniel and Henry Company. After Peyton’s death Don became his own individual producer unit and flourished with great success. Many business associates and longtime clients today would proclaim their lives and/or businesses are in a better place today due to the advice, guidance, simple example, or inspiration from Don. He retired as Senior Vice President in 2019 after countless contributions.
He loved traveling, especially cruises. He and Trudy were blessed to experience so many trips together. At home he spent countless hours on his property building and maintaining his natural rock landscaping creations. He loved his family, his friends, and appreciated everything about life.
Don is survived by his wife, Trudy Norris (Carter), his brother James Norris and wife Sue Norris, sister-in-law Sheila Arth and her husband Greg Arth. He was a loving father and grandfather to his daughter Kristen Amrein and her sons, Ben, Justin, and Zachary; Melanie Christoff, her husband Andrew, their children Daphne and Sawyer; Michael Norris and his wife Kate, their children Sophia and Brad; Lindsey Moore and her husband Kevin, their children Maxwell and Evie. He was preceded in death by his mother, Elmyra Norris (Lorbert) and father, Calvin.
Immediate family private service January 11th with a Celebration of Life for all who would like to participate to be held in the spring or summer.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to either Backstoppers or Mission Gate Prison Ministries.
https://missiongateministry.org
May you rest in peace Ken even though you are probably working in some form or fashion.
It has been three months since your departure from this earth to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. I was reflecting on a feature that was most outstanding to me about you. I will never forget your unconditional and reverent love for your wife, Linda Norris. She was the undoubtably the love of your life. And you were and will continue to be the love Linda’s life. She was blessed to be your wife all those years. You always put each other first and definitely kept the commitment of you vows to love each other in sickness and in health. As you both were inseparable, and Linda seldom left you even as you were fighting to recover from your injury. Your life mattered Ken and was an inspiration to many people in so many ways. Your presence will be missed.