Alice Mary Norton

Alice Norton, 79, passed away 3 November in Salem Oregon. A native Oregonian, she was born October 3, 1940 in Portland, to Marian Elizabeth (Sandmeyer) Norton and John Alvin Norton. She was the eldest of 2 daughters. Alice attended school in Portland: Saint Rose Elementary School through grade 8, and Holy Child High School her freshman and sophomore years. She attended Grant High School her junior year and was in the first senior graduating class of Madison High school in 1958. After graduation, Alice moved with her family to Salem. She attended Merritt Davis School of Commerce, taking classes in business and dental hygiene.

Alice had a diverse and rewarding career. She began work in the circulation department of the Salem Statesman Journal – a job she always loved to talk about. Next she was hired by Equitable Savings and Loan and worked a variety of positions including teller and traveling trainer for their offices in Seattle, Bend, and Portland. Alice went on to work for the Oregon Bank and Commercial Bank. Her last career was working for the City of Salem Public Works Department, Customer Service, Water and Sewer Division, from which she retired in 2003.

During her life Alice believed in giving back to the community she loved. She was active at various times with the American Cancer Society, focusing on hospice care, and with the Salem Soroptimists International. She was also a long time member of Salem’s Queen of Peace Catholic Church.

Alice had two favorite joys. She was an ardent gardener, evident in the abundant bulbs and flowers blooming at her home from early spring to late fall. Her other passion was working as a volunteer for Salem’s Pentacle Theatre. During the 30 years she volunteered she was involved in building sets, stage management, doing props and sound, and helping to raise over $300,000 while she was Benefit Chairperson. She was also the familiar, cheerful lady who delivered Pentacle production posters to 55+ businesses around town. For her efforts, Alice was honored as the first recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award in May 1994. She also received the Executive Director’s Award in 2013, and was designated as a Lifetime Member in 2014 (Pentacle’s highest honor and the first volunteer ever selected).

Alice is survived by her sister Barbara (Norton) Thompson and husband Bruce. She was preceded in death by her parents. A funeral mass will be held at 11 AM, Friday, 15 November 2019, at Queen of Peace Church, 4227 Lone Oak Rd SE, Salem. A reception with appetizer buffet will follow from 12:00 to 1:30pm at Danny’s on the Green, Creekside Golf Course, 6250 Club House Dr SE, Salem. In lieu of flowers, Alice would have preferred that charitable memorial donations be made to Pentacle Theater at www.PentacleTheatre.org. Remembrances for the Norton family can be posted at the Howell, Edwards, Doerksen website, www.hed-fh.com.