Norman Edward Hamelin

Norman was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts on February 19th, 1933. He married Mary Sue “Dolly” Harris on April 6th, 1951. Norman and Mary had two children, Richard Mark Hamelin, and Sara Paulette “Paula” Hamelin.

Norman had three grandchildren (Rick, Chris, and Sara), and four great-grandchildren (Sierra, Alexis, River, and Alexander).

Norman was preceded in death by his wife Mary, his parents, Alexandre J. and Irene Hamelin, his siblings Richard and Claire, and his daughter Paula.

You can’t speak of Norman without speaking of Mary; they were married until her passing in December 2021. Mary was the more outgoing of the two, while Norman was content with observation and quiet conversation at family gatherings. Norman was often the one taking photos or video of family events and special occasions. Norman was also the sole earner for their family starting in the early 1980s, when Mary selflessly retired to help with their grandchildren.

Norman and Mary traveled the world before and after they had children, due to his career in the Air Force. They lived in many places from the 1950s to the early 1970s; England, Libya, New Mexico, Kansas, and of course, Tennessee, where they finally settled after Norman’s military retirement.

Norman often reminisced about his Air Force days, where he worked as a gunsmith and munitions expert. His career began with the Korean War and ended with the Vietnam War. He was very proud of his service and spoke of it often. He enjoyed keeping up with veteran’s affairs issues and supported a variety of causes in this area, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Air Force Association, the Air Force Sergeant’s Association, and the Wounded Warrior Project.

After Norman retired from the Air Force, he and his family moved to Tennessee to start their next chapter. Norman worked several jobs, including restaurateur, store clerk, security guard, gunsmith shop owner, before he eventually settled into his second career as a police officer with the Metro and eventually the Belle Meade police department, from where he retired again in 2003.

Norman was a man of many hobbies and practical talents, and he was prodigious with his hands. He enjoyed leather-working, carpentry, model building, and gunsmithing. After moving into their new home in Tennessee, Norman took on many home projects, including the construction of a workshop, greenhouse, carport, and the conversion of their garage into a den, where he and Mary spent much of their downtime.

Norman could build furniture, and built many shelves, tables, desks, and other such items for the home. He also enjoyed fashioning various items from leather, such as holsters, belts, carrying cases, and decorative items.

Dogs were a constant presence in the Hamelin household; Norman loved them and there was rarely a time when they did not have one or more. In his later years, they were his constant companions, and he leaves behind his current dog, Molly.

Norman was a strong and practical presence in the lives of the people that knew him. He had a strong will right up until the end and would rarely let someone do something for him that he could do on his own. He was funny, at times sardonic, witty, selfless, and he will be sorely missed and loved by his friends and family.

A visitation for Norman will be held Friday, February 24, 2023 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Mount Olivet Funeral Home & Cemetery, 1101 LEBANON PIKE, NASHVILLE, TN 37210, followed by a funeral service from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mountolivet.com for the Hamelin family.