Chester “Chet” Norris

Published 5:55 am Monday, September 8, 2003

June 22, 1916-Sept. 3, 2003

MILTON-FREEWATER -Chester “Chet” Norris, 87, of Milton-Freewater, died Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2003, of cancer.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery. A memorial gathering will follow at the home of Betty Norris, 1707 Oak St, in Milton-Freewater.

The oldest in a family of 11 children, Mr. Norris was born June 22, 1916, near Kingston, Ark., to Simon and Bertha Norris. He was raised in Arkansas and Colorado, lived in Washington for a time and came to Oregon in the mid 1940s.

On May 11, 1946, he married Helen M. Wilson at Walla Walla. They began their married life at Dayton, Wash., then moved to the old Pilot Rock Lumber Camp, and later built a home on Camas Creek outside of Ukiah. After living in various locations they made Milton-Freewater their home in the mid 1950s.

Mrs. Norris died in January 1980. He later married Gladys Kendal, who died in May 2002.

Mr. Norris worked for Harris Pine Mills, in Pendleton, as an independent logger for about 34 years until his retirement in 1984.

The family could not remember a time that he didn’t have one family member or another working with him in the mountains. He had a love of family. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and loved his Seattle Mariners baseball.

He was a life member of the Milton-Freewater Elks Lodge.

Survivors include his sons, Frank Douglas and John Douglas, both of Milton-Freewater; daughter, Darlene Cook of Port Orchard, Wash.; brothers, J.B. Norris of Dayton, and Roy Norris of Redmond; sisters, Virgie Carson of Kingston, Ark., Goldie Buell of Naples, Texas, Dorothy Murr of Portland and Betty Norris of Milton-Freewater; 11 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. Besides his wives, he was preceded in death by daughter, Marlene M. Norris, by a grandson, Kirk Douglas, by three great-grandchildren and two brothers and two sisters.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Walla Walla Community Hospice through Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home, 902 S. Main St, Milton-Freewater, OR 97862.