Joshua Allan Norton

Josh was born in Denver, Colorado, on July 6, 1973, to David and Virginia Norton. Alongside his beloved bride, Denice, a veterinarian, he was the co-owner and pet cremation operator of River Valley Gateway. Together, they built the business to honor pets throughout their end-of-life journey. Josh took great pride in their work and found purpose in serving as a grief director, offering comfort and support to families during the loss of a beloved furry family member. Josh treasured the time he and Denice spent together at the beach in Florida, where they usually celebrated their anniversary each June. He loved hunting for sand dollars, and he was especially good at finding them. He also loved being outdoors, riding dirt bikes, fishing, and camping with his wife, children, and grandchildren. Josh especially enjoyed riding his yellow Harley and used any excuse to do so, often saying, “Any day on the bike is a good day!” Above all else, Josh lived his life for Christ. His faith guided the way he loved his family, served others, and lived each and every day. He greatly valued his Harley-riding Bible study group, the Band of Brothers. Often the youngest member and not yet retired, Josh sometimes had to hurry from work to make it to Bible study on time. It became a good-natured joke among the group: “Okay, Josh is here—it must be time to start,” as he often arrived just in time for the opening prayer. Josh invited many others to join him on those Tuesday evenings and was always looking for someone new to introduce to the group. Josh will be deeply missed by his wife of 17 years, Denice Norton; his children, Tanner Griffin, Aaron Norton and his wife, Natalie, Kelsey Norton and her fiancé, Bradin Ball, and Dillon Chapman and his wife, Kynlee; his eight grandchildren, Cohen, Asher, Dawson, Tollsen, Brynn, McKinley, Cora, and Saylah; his parents, David and Virginia Norton; his siblings, Kyle Norton and his wife, Katherine, and Jessica Dangler and her husband, Jason; as well as many extended family members, friends, and members of the community whose lives he touched. A celebration of Josh’s life will be held at 10am on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Downtown Vineyard Church, located off Grand Avenue in Grand Junction. Following the service, a reception will be held at the Chipeta Golf Course from 12pm to 4pm.