Charles Edward Norton Jr.

Charles Edward Norton, 72, a lifetime resident of Arlington VA, a retired computer technician and community volunteer, died January 16, 2019 while under hospice care. After graduating from Wakefield High School, Chuck began his lifelong interest and career in communications with C&P Telephone in Washington, DC. He joined the Army a year later and continued to study electronics and communications while serving in Massachusetts and South Korea. Upon discharge he returned to C&P (and later AT&T) and helped to make happen the technological revolution of the next 45 years. He worked on the 1992 "United We Stand" campaign to elect Ross Perot, but discovered that he was a technician at heart with little patience for drama and politics. Afterwards he redirected his energy at the local level where he felt he could have a greater impact. Chuck would jump at any chance to get involved in his community, from driving hospice workers to work in the snow , to helping Boy Scouts achieve their goals and have fun, to serving in top leadership roles of the Dominion Hills pool, the Boulevard Manor Civic Association, and the Arlington Amateur Radio Club. He actively served on the Reevesland Learning Center Board of Directors and helping build growing beds in Bluemont Park and at Ashlawn School. Chuck had a passion for emergency preparedness and community resiliency. He became a Community Emergency Response Team (US-CERT) volunteer during the formative years and served as a Coordinator of the Bon Air Park team and a key member of the local leadership. He devoted several weeks of his vacation time in 2005 to the American Red Cross to help people who had evacuated to Washington after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Chuck retired in 2014, but he continued to use his expertise again and again to help his community by supporting communications at community events such as marathons and disaster relief. He also worked with his alma mater St. Thomas Moore elementary school on their STMSat-1 satellite that was deployed into orbit on May 16, 2016. On those few occasions when he wasn't volunteering, he loved the outdoors, and spent time hunting, shooting, fishing, and gardening. Chuck was also a devoted family man, and is survived by his wife of 48 years, Judith and two sons, Charles III and his wife Leah, and Brian and his wife Beth and granddaughter, Alice. He also leaves a sister, Beth, and a stepmother, Ruby. Chuck was predeceased by his parents Charles Norton Sr. and Carlene Norton. A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held February 9, 11:00 AM at the Arlington Church of the Brethren, 300 N Montague Street, Arlington, VA 22203. In lieu of flowers, donations in Chuck’s memory may be made online to capitalcaring.org or to the Bethel United Church of Christ Memorial Fund, 300 N Montague St, Arlington, VA 22203.