Norbert was born in Montgomery, Ind., to Dewey Alphonsus Arvin and Julia Ann Flynn on July 4, 1922—a fitting date, given the patriotic role he would later play in WWII. He was the oldest of seven children—five girls and two boys. Norbert was raised on the family farm and attended St. Peter Catholic School. He graduated from Montgomery High School in the spring of 1942.
That fall Norbert enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp. He served in Europe on B-17s primarily as a top-turret gunner. In 1944 his plane was shot down over Germany. Norbert spent 13 months as a prisoner of war (POW), until American troops liberated them from camp in May 1945. Norbert returned to the U.S. in June, and was honorably discharged from the Army Air Corp three months later.
A month after returning home, Norbert married his high school sweetheart, Mary Helen Burch. They lived in Indianapolis and raised six children: Ed, Jerry, Steve, Chris, Susan and Tim. Some likened the Arvin household to the 1950s television sitcom “Father Knows Best”: despite having six children, the house was always put together, clean, and Norbert was the picture of the perfect father. His children’s comments reflect their love for him: “He was my hero, someone to look up to and try to be like. He made all six of us kids feel special and very loved….” “To me, he was the gentle-est gentleman with a heart of gold. He lived for God and for his family.” “My Dad was faithful, loving and kind.”
Norbert liked to travel and camp, and enjoyed fishing in Brown County at the lake where he and Helen owned a cabin, known as “The Shack”. The hands that once steadied a B-17 turret gun later turned to creating stained glass pieces and making metal sculptures. He enjoyed gardening, and “hands-down, he made the best potato salad.”
From 1951-1979 Norbert worked at Naval Ordinance which later became Naval Avionics in Indianapolis as an electrical inspector. After retiring, he drove a school bus for St. Philip Neri Catholic School in Indianapolis, then worked as a Safeway Grocery Store butcher.
Norbert was a devout Catholic. Financially and in many volunteer capacities, he and Helen supported Little Flower (St. Therese of the Infant Jesus) Parish in Indianapolis, Norbert’s faith home for 63 years. His children describe him as “an example of living life for—and blessed by—God, dedicated to his faith and the Catholic Church. Love of God and family were not only taught but shown daily in everything he did.”
Norbert lost his wife, Mary Helen, the love of his life for 69 years in December 2014.
As age slowly imposed its challenges, devoted family members and friends cared for Norbert so he could live out his days at home. As one caregiver noted, “What we all got from him was unconditional love, time and the opportunity to leave all your cares at the door. It was all about our time together.”
Norbert’s well-rounded personality shone as he found facets to enjoy with each caregiver: watching car races and Indiana University basketball, to observing yard birds; chasing geese with remote controlled cars, to picking out shapes in the clouds from the porch rockers; enjoying country music, to listening as books and daily devotionals were read to him; greeting neighbors and their pets, to making potato and cauliflower salad, crafts, gourmet bird feed and more; watching the Lawrence Welk show to enjoying home-baked meals and treats; talking of travel, to cultivating seeds from dirt to dinner table.
Through it all, Norbert practiced his Catholic faith, worshiping at Mass as often as possible, and of course praying. As a caregiver sat by his bedside in the moment before he passed, Norbert placed his hand over his heart and whispered, “Jesus, I love you.”
Norbert was preceded in death by his wife; two of his siblings, Ruth Cruse and Leonard Arvin; son, Jerry Arvin, and one grandchild, John Arvin.
He is survived by four siblings: Jean Boltman, Therese Gruber, Lavern Teiten and Monica Shuffman; his children: Edward (Millie), Steve (Becky), Chris (Andrea) and Tim (Susan) Arvin, and Susan Williams. Also surviving are 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
The viewing will be held at Feeney-Hornak Shadeland Mortuary, 1307 N. Shadeland Ave., in Indianapolis. Calling hours are Monday, Aug. 13, from 4-8 p.m. with the praying of the rosary at 7 p.m., and Tuesday from 9-9:30 a.m. The funeral Mass will take place after at Little Flower (St. Therese of the Infant Jesus) Church, 4720 E. 13th St., in Indianapolis, at 10 a.m., followed by burial at Washington Park East Cemetery, 10612 E. Washington St., in Indianapolis.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) Parish at bit.ly/2OYZ4KT (case sensitive), or by mailing a check to the parish at 4720 E. 13th St., Indianapolis, IN 46201; or to the American Heart Association online at bit.ly/2noBhaN (case sensitive), or by phone at 800-AHA-USA1.
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