Ray N. Norris

Ray N. Norris, longtime Catonsville resident, went to be with the Lord on February 13, 2017, after a brief period of hospice care in his home, surrounded by his family. He was 92 years old.

Born in Panama City in the Republic of Panama, Mr. Norris was the son of Ray N. (Reynolds Norman) Norris, an engineer on the Panama Canal, and Alma Sander, a teacher employed by the Panama Canal Commission. His fourth great-grandfather was Eliphalet Norris, a Revolutionary War soldier and fifer, who survived the brutal winter at Valley Forge as a member of Washington's Army.

As a boy in Panama, he and his brother Jack would wander unsupervised for miles, free to explore ships, airfields and anything else that captured their interest. One of his favorite memories was climbing Sosa Hill and witnessing the airship USS Akron traverse the Canal in March, 1933.

In 1934, he moved to Canton, Mississippi with his siblings, while his father remained in Panama. It was in Canton that he would meet the love of his life and future wife, Peggy Weeks.

Although under age, in 1943 Ray enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, and was quickly--without time to pack a toothbrush or say goodbye-- sent to Cherry Point, North Carolina. From there he deployed to the Pacific theater with squadron VMF(N)-532, the second Marine Night Fighter group, now famous for their use of the f4u Corsair. The plane was aptly named "whistling death" by the Japanese. While on the island of Roi-Namur, Mr. Norris and a fellow Marine converted two of the squadron's planes on-site from f4u-1A's, into the superior radar-equipped f4u-2's, which were distinguished by their right wing bubble "raydome." Implementing this new technology was a considerable feat with the constraints of war.  Mr. Norris served in the Marshall Islands at Tarawa, Roi-Namur, Tinian, Eniwetok, Kwajalein and Saipan.

Upon his discharge from the Marines, Mr. Norris worked as a yard manager for the N.C. and St. L. Railroad in Memphis, Tennessee, then went to California to attend Pasadena City College. After finishing at Pasadena, he enrolled in Louisiana State University. He was in Tiger Stadium in 1947 during the famous football game in which Y.A. Tittle scored a touchdown while holding up his falling pants--along with the football. The crowd went wild.

In the summer of 1948, Ray and Peggy Weeks were married. Mrs. Norris went with her husband to Baton Rouge where she worked for the L.S.U. Agricultural Extension Office, while he completed his degree in Electrical Engineering. He graduated in 1950.

Immediately upon graduation, Mr. Norris was hired by Westinghouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Shortly thereafter, he was recalled by the Marine Corps for service in Korea, and within two days had to report for duty in San Diego, California. Fortunately for Ray, he was pulled from the ranks and asked to become a radar instructor, as he had passed every Marine Corps technical exam with 100 % accuracy. This twist of fate--God's will--spared him from being sent into some of the bloodiest campaigns of the Korean War.

Rejoining Westinghouse after Korea, the Norris's relocated to Baltimore, then to Catonsville. Mr. Norris retired as a manager from "Circle Bar W" in 1988. his specialty having been electronic countermeasures.

Ray's interests were diverse. He was a voracious reader of history and science, yet derived equal pleasure from cartoons in the daily newspaper. He loved poetry and music, traveling in the American west and enthusiastically collected rocks, minerals, postcards, ephemera and even mundane objects such as calculators and flashlights. He enjoyed life.

Mr. Norris is survived by his beloved children: Maggie Stewart Denison (Bill) of Towson, Nancy Norris Bruno (Mike) of Blue Ridge Summit, PA, Rebecca Norris of Catonsville and Tim Norris (Tabbie Saenz) of Catonsville and La Paz, Bolivia. He is also survived by his cherished grandchildren: Jennifer Stewart of Baltimore, Kate Stewart Davenny (Ward) of Cornwall, PA, his loving grandson Chris Norris of Hanover, PA, Patrick Prommel of Washington, D.C. and Jack Prommel of Morgantown, WV. His sister, Teresa Norris Sandidge (Ray) of Entiat, WA, his niece, Jan Malone Andino of  Jacksonville, FL, his nephew Paul Norris of Ridgeland, MS, his sister-in-law Joann Weeks of Canton, MS and many Weeks, Sandidge and Andino nieces and nephews also survive him.  Ray's sister Betty Malone and dear brother Jack Norris predeceased him. His best pal and Labrador Retriever, "Gringo," passed away in December. His loving wife Peggy Weeks Norris died in 2007.

Semper Fi.