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Norton loses battle to cancer
Well-known local businessman had esophageal cancer.
By MICHAEL MITSEFF
mmitseff@lakecityreporter.com
Lake City resident, businessman, community good guy and devoted family man, James “Jim” Henry Norton, 58, lost his two-year battle with esophageal cancer Thursday.
“It’s really a sad day for Columbia County; we have lost a giant,” longtime friend Wayne Adams said. “Jim was a man among men — he was hardworking and a salt-of-the-earth family man.”
Norton was born Nov. 22, 1949, in Milwaukee Wis., to parents Vernon “Pop” Norton and Lillian “Ma” Detjens Norton. He moved to Lake City with his parents and three brothers in 1960.
Vernon Norton passed away in January after an extended illness.
A 1968 graduate of Columbia High School, Norton married his high school sweetheart, Janice Diane Harrington, on Aug. 10, 1968.
He served in the U. S. Army from 1969 to 1972 with the 78th Engineering Company and served in Vietnam from April 24, 1970, through March 30, 1971.
He earned the Bronze Star, the National Defense Service, Vietnam Service and Army Commendation medals.
Norton is a longstanding member of the Columbia County Boys Club and was its president from 1984 through 1986, and again in 1990. He was Boys Club Man of the Year in 1988 and 1991. He won the Golden Boy award in 1989 and the Service to Youth Boys Club award in 1995. He was a youth baseball coach and the Rotary Club Citizen of the Year in 1988 and 1989. He received a certificate of recognition from Modern Woodmen of America in 1993 and was a member of the Florida Rural Water Association.
Norton also owned and was president of Norton Home Improvement Inc.
“I’ve known Jim and the Norton family all my adult life,” said Dist. 1 County Commissioner Ron Williams. “Jim was instrumental, along with his dad, in supporting the Boys Club. That was his heart, and Jim was a great guy from a great family.”
Whether an acquaintance or a lifelong friend, Norton was loved and respected by many people in the community, and their comments reveal the depth of that love and respect as he is mourned.
“He was a great friend and the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back — and not expect anything in return. That says it all,” said Tim Griffin, longtime friend and former board member of the Boys Club. “He was instrumental in a lot of the Boys Club success.”
“He was a wonderful man, and he and his father did a lot for the Columbia County Boys Club, they were always involved,” said Kay Cummings, program director. “We will really miss him.”
Dale Dryden said, “When the present Boys Club was built, Jim was president and I was vice president, but it was Jim and his father that spearheaded getting it built. His father donated quite a bit of money to the construction of the new building and his construction crew did a lot of the work.
“The Boys Club wouldn’t be what it is today without Jim or his father,” Dryden said. “He was a good community-oriented family man. This is a tremendous loss to the community.”
Norton is survived by his mother; his wife, Janice Dianne Norton; and his children, James “Bubba” Henry Norton II (Alisha); Shannon Dianne Lee (John); and Jack Justin Norton (Charese).
Norton leaves behind his grandchildren, Peyton Chase Cleveland, Alec James Norton, Braxton Thomas Norton, Tyler Jay Lee and Lillian Annie “Lily” Lee. Norton is survived by his brothers, John Norton, Bruce Norton and Alan Norton.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations to be sent to Haven Hospice of Suwannee Valley and to the Boys Club of Columbia County.
“He was probably one of my best friends,” John O’Neal said. “He was always a dedicated and hard worker even when we were 14 years old. He was always a caring, loving individual.”
“Jim helped — and was a helpmate — to many of the less fortunate in the community, and he was a mentor to a number of us,” Adams said. “I never heard one man say naught against Jim Norton.”
“It’s really a sad day for Columbia County; we have lost a giant,” longtime friend Wayne Adams said. “Jim was a man among men — he was hardworking and a salt-of-the-earth family man.”
Norton was born Nov. 22, 1949, in Milwaukee Wis., to parents Vernon “Pop” Norton and Lillian “Ma” Detjens Norton. He moved to Lake City with his parents and three brothers in 1960.
Vernon Norton passed away in January after an extended illness.
A 1968 graduate of Columbia High School, Norton married his high school sweetheart, Janice Diane Harrington, on Aug. 10, 1968.
He served in the U. S. Army from 1969 to 1972 with the 78th Engineering Company and served in Vietnam from April 24, 1970, through March 30, 1971.
He earned the Bronze Star, the National Defense Service, Vietnam Service and Army Commendation medals.
Norton is a longstanding member of the Columbia County Boys Club and was its president from 1984 through 1986, and again in 1990. He was Boys Club Man of the Year in 1988 and 1991. He won the Golden Boy award in 1989 and the Service to Youth Boys Club award in 1995. He was a youth baseball coach and the Rotary Club Citizen of the Year in 1988 and 1989. He received a certificate of recognition from Modern Woodmen of America in 1993 and was a member of the Florida Rural Water Association.
Norton also owned and was president of Norton Home Improvement Inc.
“I’ve known Jim and the Norton family all my adult life,” said Dist. 1 County Commissioner Ron Williams. “Jim was instrumental, along with his dad, in supporting the Boys Club. That was his heart, and Jim was a great guy from a great family.”
Whether an acquaintance or a lifelong friend, Norton was loved and respected by many people in the community, and their comments reveal the depth of that love and respect as he is mourned.
“He was a great friend and the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back — and not expect anything in return. That says it all,” said Tim Griffin, longtime friend and former board member of the Boys Club. “He was instrumental in a lot of the Boys Club success.”
“He was a wonderful man, and he and his father did a lot for the Columbia County Boys Club, they were always involved,” said Kay Cummings, program director. “We will really miss him.”
Dale Dryden said, “When the present Boys Club was built, Jim was president and I was vice president, but it was Jim and his father that spearheaded getting it built. His father donated quite a bit of money to the construction of the new building and his construction crew did a lot of the work.
“The Boys Club wouldn’t be what it is today without Jim or his father,” Dryden said. “He was a good community-oriented family man. This is a tremendous loss to the community.”
Norton is survived by his mother; his wife, Janice Dianne Norton; and his children, James “Bubba” Henry Norton II (Alisha); Shannon Dianne Lee (John); and Jack Justin Norton (Charese).
Norton leaves behind his grandchildren, Peyton Chase Cleveland, Alec James Norton, Braxton Thomas Norton, Tyler Jay Lee and Lillian Annie “Lily” Lee. Norton is survived by his brothers, John Norton, Bruce Norton and Alan Norton.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations to be sent to Haven Hospice of Suwannee Valley and to the Boys Club of Columbia County.
“He was probably one of my best friends,” John O’Neal said. “He was always a dedicated and hard worker even when we were 14 years old. He was always a caring, loving individual.”
“Jim helped — and was a helpmate — to many of the less fortunate in the community, and he was a mentor to a number of us,” Adams said. “I never heard one man say naught against Jim Norton.”
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elizabeth wrote on May 9, 2008 3:21 PM: