Harold Ray Norris, 91, of Owensboro passed away peacefully at the Heartford House on Saturday, February 11, 2023. Also known as “Tooter” and “Bud” to his family, friends, and coworkers, he was born in Beech Creek, in Muhlenberg County on August 1, 1931. Harold attended Hughes-Kirkpatrick High School, where he excelled in baseball and basketball. Before graduating in 1950, “Tooter” had scored 1050 points and led the Tigers to two Kentucky State Basketball Tournaments. Following high school, Harold served in the U.S. Army in the Korean War in the 980th Battery of the Artillery Division, receiving the United Nations Service Medal and the Korean Service Medal with 2 Battle Stars.
Harold retired from Western Kentucky Gas in 1993 after working there for 30 years. He loved sports and coached youth baseball at Western Little League and Owensboro Babe Ruth, winning the 14-15 year old State Babe Ruth Championship in 1981. He was a member of the Owensboro Healthpark for the past 22 years, and until last November, he exercised there 5 days a week. He cherished the many hours he spent talking and joking with his Healthpark friends. Harold was a passionate University of Kentucky athletics and St. Louis Cardinals fan. He enjoyed reading, listening to music, and watching sports and movies. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lucian Bell and Lizzie Love (Benson) Norris, his brothers Kenneth Norris and Carlis (Louise) Norris.
Survivors include his children, Beverly Nation (Paul) of Austin, Texas, and Ben Norris (Anne) of Owensboro; grandchildren, John Nation (Catherine Cunningham) of Austin, Texas and Jennifer Nation (Ben Koenigsknecht) of Rockville, Md.; great grandchildren, Elizabeth and Austin.
Visitation will be Saturday, February 18 from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory, followed by a private family funeral service. Burial will be in the Union Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Butler County. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to the Disabled American Veterans, 1809 Grimes Avenue, Owensboro, KY 42303.
Messages and condolences to the family can be shared at www.glenncares.com.
