Frederick Lawrence Norton

Fred is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Arlene; daughter Lynda (Carole) Norton-Dane; daughter-in-law, Carrie (Larry) Norton; sisters, Sue (Don) Rits and Nancy (Herb) Meier; as well as many cherished extended family members and friends. He is preceded in death by his son, Lawrence (Larry) R. Norton.

A memorial service for Fred will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Fairway Village Chapel, located at 13600 Southeast McGillivray Boulevard in Vancouver, Washington 98683 on Saturday, April 29th, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.

Frederick (Fred) Lawrence Norton was a scholar, singer, historian, genealogist and storyteller.

Fred was born to Stewart and Louise Norton in Hillsboro, Oregon on December 19, 1938. He was the second of their five (5) children; Nancy, Fred, Jim, Sue & Bob.

The family spent many of their formative years in Washington State. They moved to Nampa, Idaho in 1951. In 1957 they moved to California where Fred graduated from Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo, California.

For the 50th class reunion, Fred wrote of the highlights of his life:

“After leaving Nampa in 1957, I spent many years pondering life’s great mysteries of what I would like to be when I grew up. I finally found out eight years ago, that what I wanted was to be retired. (My wife says I still haven’t grown up!)

During my years of searching, I completed college with a Bachelors degree in Business administration (at the University of Phoenix in Salt Lake City); married my dear wife, Arlene, and started my working career at a missile plant. After two (2) close-by buildings blew up, resulting in 10 fatalities, I decided I needed to do something that could guarantee me a more secure future.

We went into business for ourselves. We did well for a while but eventually the income diminished to a point that I needed to find a real job. Subsequently, I spent 25 years working for Nationwide Insurance and then retired (in 1994).

When I was twenty-nine (29) years old, my wife discovered that I could sing. She became my “stage mother”. I auditioned and was accepted to sing with the Portland Opera Company. I have been blessed to have sung professionally for many years in operas, musicals, at weddings, churches and holiday community ensembles. I never chose to make singing any more than an avocation, due to the lifestyle a professional singing career would entail. However, I am a tenor, who has soloed on stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

I still enjoy the out of doors; enjoy world travel and working with kids.

My plans, hopes and dreams from here - I want to find a big gold nugget; and catch and release thousands of fish.” ~ Fred L. Norton