Norbert Andrew Inkel

Norbet Inkel was born in Kingscroft, Quebec, on November 30, 1921. His father Leon Inkel was married to Marie Rose Messier. Together they had four sons: Ray, Ted, Norbert and Fred, and one daughter Gabrielle. When Norbert was five years old, his father died. The family moved from Quebec to Barre, Vermont, where his mother met and married Arthur Brule. They had two children, Maurice and Jeanette.

Norbert graduated from Spaulding High School in Barre, Vermont. He later moved to Connecticut and in 1942 entered the U. S. Army during World War II. He also served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during his time with military.

He met Katherine McSorley who was also in the Royal Canadian Air Force at Mont Joli, near Montreal. They were married in 1946, and lived in Toronto, Canada; Barre, Vermont; and Hartford Connecticut before moving to California in 1951. They had two children: Marie (aka: Diana) and David Inkel.

Norbert worked at General Dynamics in San Diego for 40 years. He worked on the Atlas missile program at the Astronautics plant during the height of the aerospace era, and was sent on assignment to Cape Kennedy, then known as Cape Canaveral, to do special tool work on the Atlas missile, and witness a missile launch. At the end of the 40 years, he retired.

The following week he started work at Boeing-McDonnell Douglas, where he worked for another ten years before retiring a second time.

He was always busy. He loved gardening, and he loved fishing. He was married for 56 years.

Last year, in 2012, he went on an Honor Flight trip with 90 other World War II veterans, most of whom were also in their 80’s and 90’s. They went to several Washington monuments including the World War II memorial, the Air Force Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial among others. Upon their arrival home at the airport, they were greeted by 500 uniformed military personnel from all service branches who saluted and applauded all the World War II veterans. It was a surprise and a life-changing moment for him.

In his last six months, he lived at the Lantern Crest Retirement Home in Santee, California. He passed away on September 12, 2013.

He was predeceased by his brothers Ray Inkel, Ted Inkel and Maurice Brule.

He is survived by his daughter Diana Prince, and son David Inkel as well as his two grandchildren, Ryan and Brandon Inkel, of San Diego, California.

He is also survived by his sister, Gabrielle Hutchins of Barre, Vermont; his sister Jeanette Roy of Enfield, Connecticut, and his brother Fred Inkel of North Hero, Vermont and Bonita Spring, Florida. In addition, he has numerous nieces and nephews in the New England area and the Western United States.