Lee E. Norris
Lee E. Norris, 89, of rural Mentone, passed at 4:12 am, Monday, May 20, 2019, at his residence.
He was born on Nov. 2, 1929, in Mentone, Indiana to Samuel N. and Dora F. (Boyer) Norris. He married on March 6, 1955, in Mentone to Norene J. Bibler, she survives.
Lee was a farmer and a businessman. In 1965 he started his own business, Lee E. Norris Construction and Grain Company Inc., which specialized in designing and selling industrial and agricultural dryers. Through the years that business would become Norris Thermal Technologies Inc. of Tippecanoe where four generations of his family have worked.
He graduated from Beaver Dam High School in 1947. He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War in artillery guidance. He was very active in the Mentone First Baptist Church. He served the church as Sunday School Superintendent, Trustee, Deacon, a teacher, and a youth leader. He also served the community on the Tippecanoe Valley School Board from 1978 to 1982. Lee was honored as a Distinguished Alumni of the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation in 2016. He began riding motorcycles at the age of 66 and was a lifetime member of the Christian Motorcyclists Association and had been a member for 21 years. Additionally, he was a lifetime member of the National Chapter and the former Wabash Chapter of the Harley Davidson Owners Group. He traveled to every state on his motorcycles. He and his wife celebrated 64 years of marriage on March 3 with 51 family members in attendance.
Survivors and place of residence wife Norene Norris, Mentone; daughters Connie S. Hunsberger (Mick Bowers), Mentone; Cynthia Jo Miller, Claypool; Angela Lea Butler (Jeff Mesaros), Syracuse; sons Daniel and wife Dawn Norris, Mentone; Aaron and wife Nicole Norris, Mentone; 14 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Preceded in death by parents Samuel and Dora Norris, sister Lillie Rookstool, brother Robert D. Norris and son-in-law – Brooks Butler.
The service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 24, at First Baptist Church 206 S. Oak Street Mentone. Burial will be at Mentone Cemetery, Mentone, with graveside military rites being performed by the Warsaw American Legion. Visitation hours are from 3 to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 23, at the Mentone First Baptist Church
Donations can be made in Lee’s memory to Christian Motorcyclists Association or the Mentone First Baptist Church.