Carol Anne Crowell Norton was born in Lawton Oklahoma (Fort Sill) to Sargent Raymond and Ruth (Holloway) Crowell. Being a military family numerous moves followed. She attended different schools in her first 9 years of school finally settling for her three high school years in Durango, Colorado. Following graduation from high school, she entered Colorado State College, now the University of Northern Colorado. Immediately, she joined Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and majored in mathematics with a minor in chemistry. Following her graduation she was hired as a math teacher for Denver public schools where she taught for 9 years. While teaching she also was working night classes and summer classes to earn her Masters in counseling. In 1974 she graduated with a Masters in counseling and after completing her degree she met her future husband Byron Norton. With the support of Byron she entered the doctorate program for counseling in 1975. On September 12, 1975 she married Byron Norton. In 1978, Carol earned her doctorate degree and then moved her focus from education to a family and in 1979 Carol and Byron adopted Amy Norton from Colombia. Carol continued to work at the Weld Mental Health Center while also caring for her new baby and two years later she completed her family by adding a baby boy.
From 1982, until the time she retired in 2016 Carol did private practice with a focus on children therapy, which had been the focus of her life both professionally and privately. With her husband they developed a model of play therapy that they trained professionals internationally as well as wrote a book “Reaching Children through Play Therapy.”
She is survived by her husband Byron Norton, daughter Amy Norton, son Drew Norton, and three grandchildren Micah, Leah and Miles Norton. As well as her Uncle Jim Holloway and her sisters Donna & Lonna and many more cousins. Her focus was her family, especially her grandchildren but she always had an infinity for caring for all children.
A Celebration of Life for Carol will be held Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Allnutt Funeral & Cremation - Macy, 6521 W. 20th Street, Greeley, Colorado 80634.
