Colonel Joseph Gerald Norton

Joe, the youngest child of George and Rebecca Norton, was born in Atlanta July 7, 1933. At the age of 15, he left Georgia to live with his oldest sister, Mae, and her husband, Joseph Rando, in New Orleans, where he fostered his love of music by playing trombone for his high school band, in French Quarter music clubs, and occasionally with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

Joe attended Alcee Fortier High School and simultaneously joined the US Naval Reserve at age 16. Upon his graduation, he initially enrolled at LSU, but decided to defer his college education and enlist in active duty in the U.S. Marine Corp. His nearly 40 years of military service took Joe across the globe; he served in China and Japan during the Korean War, flew helicopters while stationed in Hawaii, and participated in the military’s weapons testing program, Operation Red Wing, in the South Pacific. In the early years, his strong leadership qualities were recognized by a commanding officer who hand-picked him to go to flight school and become a pilot. In later years, his dedication was evidenced when Joe took a leave of absence from his full-time civil service job for a voluntary return to active duty with USMC as a flight instructor in Pensacola, FL., during the Vietnam War. Joe continued in the USMC Reserve until his ultimate retirement in 1986 after his final position serving as Commanding Officer of the helicopter squadron housed at Naval Air Station New Orleans in Belle Chasse.

In 1958, Joe took a break from active military duty to return to complete his college education at LSU where he served as President of the Business School. After a brief stint flying helicopters in the private sector, Joe began a distinguished career with the National Labor Relations Board that lasted for more than 30 years, retiring in 1994 as the Assistant Director of the regional office in New Orleans.

In retirement, Joe traveled the world with his wife, Pat, and their friends. He became an avid golfer and spent time as a regular classroom volunteer with his grandchildren’s Pre-K program at Dwight D. Eisenhower School. All of the children clamored to sit by “Poppa Joe”, a nickname that stuck when his children’s high school and college friends realized that Joe always had a story to tell and was quick with a joke. And even as his health began to decline in later years, he loved to put on his dancing shoes and accompany Pat to live music performances at City Park.

A devoted family man and loyal servant, Joe will be dearly missed.

Joe is survived by his daughter, Becky McGoey, and her husband, Tommy; his younger son, David, and his wife, Lori; his daughter-in-law, Mercedes Abal; and his six grandchildren: Sean, Kyle, and Megan McGoey; Parker and Devin Norton; and Lola Norton, the daughter of Joe’s older son, Greg, who preceded him in death in 2014. He is also preceded in death by his twin brother George and his five sisters, Maybelle Rando, Pauline Blackstock, Ydoine Kovacs, Jeanette Woodlief and Dot Milano. Joe’s wife of 62 years, Patricia Dieterich Norton, became ill shortly after his death and ultimately passed away January 18, 2024.

Joe and Pat will be honored in a joint Celebration of Life at LakeLawn Metairie Funeral Home on Saturday, February 17, with visitation at 11am, mass at 1pm, and interment following.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Folds of Honor (www.foldsofhonor.org), Toys for Tots (www.toysfortots.org) or The National WWII Museum (www.nationalwww2museum.org).