Okley Carter Norris, 88, of Panama City, Florida passed away Sunday, October 21, 2012.
Carter was born in Westville, Florida on June 30, 1924. Along with his parents, W.O. and Teretha Norris, and four siblings he grew up in a family that struggled through the depression.
Carter spent his youth working on the family farm in Bayou George and went to Bay High School where he was a member of the football team.
With the onset of World War II, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943. During his tour of duty in the Marine Corps he was part of the initial landing force on Iowa Jima and also served as part of the occupying force in Japan at the end of the war. He was once, and always a Marine.
After the war, Carter (now known to most of his friends as O.C. Norris) came back to the United States and attended Chipola Junior College where he again played on the football team. He then continued his education at Florida State University, receiving degrees in Social Sciences and Economics. He became a diehard FSU football fan, holding season tickets for most of his adult life.
In 1956, ready to settle down, Carter met and married Sara Kilpatrick from Andalusia, Alabama. Together they had three sons. They represented the very foundation of a close knit family.
Although he had worked from a very early age in all sorts of jobs, his formal working career began at Gulf Power where he stayed for 16 years. In 1968, he went into business for himself when he opened Valley Forge Auto Parts Distributors. Within a few years he then opened Norris Auto Parts & Machine Shop, and shortly thereafter he opened St. Andrews Auto Parts. With his wife Sara he successfully operated all of these businesses for many years.
Carter was an avid outdoorsman and sports fan all of his life. He was a hunter and fisherman from a very young age. He spent many days with his sons on the baseball field and also in the out doors. In his retirement years it seemed that he hunted and fished virtually full time.
From his experience during the depression and the war, he understood the importance of hard work, freedom, thrift, dependability and trust. He knew many hardships, but he also knew and enjoyed many accomplishments. He had a full and interesting life filled with close family and good friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Walt Norris and his sisters, Wynell Mabry and Janette Davis.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sara Norris, children, George Norris and his fiancé, Joanna Bryan, Kenneth A. Norris, and Curt Norris and his wife, Tracy, grandchildren, Kenneth C. Norris, Kristina Irwin and Dylan Norris, great-grandchildren, Autumn and Casady Irwin, and Gabrielle Norris, his brother, Durell Norris and a host of other loving relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 A.M. Thursday, October 25, 2012 at Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home.
Pall Bearers: Randy Davis, Tom Davis, Flynt Norris, Claude Cooper, Bob Wilcox, James Fisher, Jr. Norris, Stan Norris
Interment with military honors will follow at Evergreen Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at the funeral home.
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Additional information for this memorial was provided by Wayne Ridley, 11/2012.
Carter was born in Westville, Florida on June 30, 1924. Along with his parents, W.O. and Teretha Norris, and four siblings he grew up in a family that struggled through the depression.
Carter spent his youth working on the family farm in Bayou George and went to Bay High School where he was a member of the football team.
With the onset of World War II, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943. During his tour of duty in the Marine Corps he was part of the initial landing force on Iowa Jima and also served as part of the occupying force in Japan at the end of the war. He was once, and always a Marine.
After the war, Carter (now known to most of his friends as O.C. Norris) came back to the United States and attended Chipola Junior College where he again played on the football team. He then continued his education at Florida State University, receiving degrees in Social Sciences and Economics. He became a diehard FSU football fan, holding season tickets for most of his adult life.
In 1956, ready to settle down, Carter met and married Sara Kilpatrick from Andalusia, Alabama. Together they had three sons. They represented the very foundation of a close knit family.
Although he had worked from a very early age in all sorts of jobs, his formal working career began at Gulf Power where he stayed for 16 years. In 1968, he went into business for himself when he opened Valley Forge Auto Parts Distributors. Within a few years he then opened Norris Auto Parts & Machine Shop, and shortly thereafter he opened St. Andrews Auto Parts. With his wife Sara he successfully operated all of these businesses for many years.
Carter was an avid outdoorsman and sports fan all of his life. He was a hunter and fisherman from a very young age. He spent many days with his sons on the baseball field and also in the out doors. In his retirement years it seemed that he hunted and fished virtually full time.
From his experience during the depression and the war, he understood the importance of hard work, freedom, thrift, dependability and trust. He knew many hardships, but he also knew and enjoyed many accomplishments. He had a full and interesting life filled with close family and good friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Walt Norris and his sisters, Wynell Mabry and Janette Davis.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sara Norris, children, George Norris and his fiancé, Joanna Bryan, Kenneth A. Norris, and Curt Norris and his wife, Tracy, grandchildren, Kenneth C. Norris, Kristina Irwin and Dylan Norris, great-grandchildren, Autumn and Casady Irwin, and Gabrielle Norris, his brother, Durell Norris and a host of other loving relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 A.M. Thursday, October 25, 2012 at Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home.
Pall Bearers: Randy Davis, Tom Davis, Flynt Norris, Claude Cooper, Bob Wilcox, James Fisher, Jr. Norris, Stan Norris
Interment with military honors will follow at Evergreen Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at the funeral home.
-------------------------
Additional information for this memorial was provided by Wayne Ridley, 11/2012.
Okley Carter Norris, 88, of Panama City, Florida passed away Sunday, October 21, 2012.
Carter was born in Westville, Florida on June 30, 1924. Along with his parents, W.O. and Teretha Norris, and four siblings he grew up in a family that struggled through the depression.
Carter spent his youth working on the family farm in Bayou George and went to Bay High School where he was a member of the football team.
With the onset of World War II, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943. During his tour of duty in the Marine Corps he was part of the initial landing force on Iowa Jima and also served as part of the occupying force in Japan at the end of the war. He was once, and always a Marine.
After the war, Carter (now known to most of his friends as O.C. Norris) came back to the United States and attended Chipola Junior College where he again played on the football team. He then continued his education at Florida State University, receiving degrees in Social Sciences and Economics. He became a diehard FSU football fan, holding season tickets for most of his adult life.
In 1956, ready to settle down, Carter met and married Sara Kilpatrick from Andalusia, Alabama. Together they had three sons. They represented the very foundation of a close knit family.
Although he had worked from a very early age in all sorts of jobs, his formal working career began at Gulf Power where he stayed for 16 years. In 1968, he went into business for himself when he opened Valley Forge Auto Parts Distributors. Within a few years he then opened Norris Auto Parts & Machine Shop, and shortly thereafter he opened St. Andrews Auto Parts. With his wife Sara he successfully operated all of these businesses for many years.
Carter was an avid outdoorsman and sports fan all of his life. He was a hunter and fisherman from a very young age. He spent many days with his sons on the baseball field and also in the out doors. In his retirement years it seemed that he hunted and fished virtually full time.
From his experience during the depression and the war, he understood the importance of hard work, freedom, thrift, dependability and trust. He knew many hardships, but he also knew and enjoyed many accomplishments. He had a full and interesting life filled with close family and good friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Walt Norris and his sisters, Wynell Mabry and Janette Davis.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sara Norris, children, George Norris and his fiancé, Joanna Bryan, Kenneth A. Norris, and Curt Norris and his wife, Tracy, grandchildren, Kenneth C. Norris, Kristina Irwin and Dylan Norris, great-grandchildren, Autumn and Casady Irwin, and Gabrielle Norris, his brother, Durell Norris and a host of other loving relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 A.M. Thursday, October 25, 2012 at Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home.
Pall Bearers: Randy Davis, Tom Davis, Flynt Norris, Claude Cooper, Bob Wilcox, James Fisher, Jr. Norris, Stan Norris
Interment with military honors will follow at Evergreen Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at the funeral home.
-------------------------
Additional information for this memorial was provided by Wayne Ridley, 11/2012.
Carter was born in Westville, Florida on June 30, 1924. Along with his parents, W.O. and Teretha Norris, and four siblings he grew up in a family that struggled through the depression.
Carter spent his youth working on the family farm in Bayou George and went to Bay High School where he was a member of the football team.
With the onset of World War II, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943. During his tour of duty in the Marine Corps he was part of the initial landing force on Iowa Jima and also served as part of the occupying force in Japan at the end of the war. He was once, and always a Marine.
After the war, Carter (now known to most of his friends as O.C. Norris) came back to the United States and attended Chipola Junior College where he again played on the football team. He then continued his education at Florida State University, receiving degrees in Social Sciences and Economics. He became a diehard FSU football fan, holding season tickets for most of his adult life.
In 1956, ready to settle down, Carter met and married Sara Kilpatrick from Andalusia, Alabama. Together they had three sons. They represented the very foundation of a close knit family.
Although he had worked from a very early age in all sorts of jobs, his formal working career began at Gulf Power where he stayed for 16 years. In 1968, he went into business for himself when he opened Valley Forge Auto Parts Distributors. Within a few years he then opened Norris Auto Parts & Machine Shop, and shortly thereafter he opened St. Andrews Auto Parts. With his wife Sara he successfully operated all of these businesses for many years.
Carter was an avid outdoorsman and sports fan all of his life. He was a hunter and fisherman from a very young age. He spent many days with his sons on the baseball field and also in the out doors. In his retirement years it seemed that he hunted and fished virtually full time.
From his experience during the depression and the war, he understood the importance of hard work, freedom, thrift, dependability and trust. He knew many hardships, but he also knew and enjoyed many accomplishments. He had a full and interesting life filled with close family and good friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Walt Norris and his sisters, Wynell Mabry and Janette Davis.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sara Norris, children, George Norris and his fiancé, Joanna Bryan, Kenneth A. Norris, and Curt Norris and his wife, Tracy, grandchildren, Kenneth C. Norris, Kristina Irwin and Dylan Norris, great-grandchildren, Autumn and Casady Irwin, and Gabrielle Norris, his brother, Durell Norris and a host of other loving relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 A.M. Thursday, October 25, 2012 at Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home.
Pall Bearers: Randy Davis, Tom Davis, Flynt Norris, Claude Cooper, Bob Wilcox, James Fisher, Jr. Norris, Stan Norris
Interment with military honors will follow at Evergreen Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at the funeral home.
-------------------------
Additional information for this memorial was provided by Wayne Ridley, 11/2012.
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