Jeffrey A. Norris
Jeffrey Allen Norris
July 2nd, 1960 – September 7th, 2026
*Author’s Note: The following excerpts in our “Life Stories” are from the Celebration of Life service for my stepbrother Jeff Norris for you to read, reflect, and pay your respects privately. It was a tragic honor to be entrusted to lead this service for my family. Jeff’s children shared touching sentiments, and family member Deacon Wilson shared prayers. It was a wonderful tribute, and he will be dearly missed by many.
I’ve gotten better at these services over the years, as I do them for a living now. Many of those in attendance watched as I sobbed through giving my Papa’s (stepfather’s) eulogy almost 20 years ago. While I can stay more composed now, it doesn’t make them hurt any less. It’s cruel all that time takes from us. I just couldn’t even bring myself to look through the old photo albums to pull out pictures of Jeff for this service. So many people in the pictures are gone. The smiles are gone. The voices are gone. The good times, the simpler times are gone. 4 years ago, I married Marc, and with Pops long gone, Jeff took his place and did my father-daughter dance with me. I didn’t feel like getting those pictures out either.
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Jeff was blessed with many loved ones, and Jeff was a blessing to those he loved. He shared his laughter–THAT LAUGH!–omg there is no one else on this earth with that Jeff laugh…it came from his stomach and was loud and infectious and was always accompanied with his handsome smirky smile. He was a unique man in that he freely said I love you to those he cherished. You knew right where you stood with Jeff, and if you got an “I love you man” from him you were blessed.
Jeff was born on July 2nd, 1960, in Kenosha, WI. After high school, Jeff continued his education at trade school and began his career as a tool and die caster at LeBlanc where he made musical instruments. He went on to work for Case and then Chrysler where he remained until his retirement in 2022.
As a young bachelor, Jeff rented a house from his dad–his ‘Pops’. And his Pops just happened to live next door. I was 20 years younger than Jeff, and he was just the coolest big brother to have his own house to live in. His driveway aligned with my bedroom window, and we had countless conversations through the window screen when he came home from work or when he was out in the driveway grilling…in ANY weather…and always in shorts…and probably barefoot.
My desk was right under the window, and one day I was nose down in a book and glanced up and there was a big, burly dude with his face right up in my window. I screamed! And then I heard Jeff laughing. He had his friend, Richie, go stand by my window to scare me. He’s probably still laughing about that one.
During the years BB–Before Betty–Megan and Janel recall tidying up for Jeff and even needing to clean out his refrigerator. There was a family get together between our two backyards one time, and folks were giving Jeff a hard time about all the weeds in his yard, and he finally pulled a big handful of weeds, and everyone cheered. I think it’s captured on an old home movie somewhere.
I like to think I helped Jeff prepare for being a father or at least helped him learn to be patient with a little kid who asked a million questions. I was constantly in his driveway or garage or kitchen following him around asking why are you doing that, what’s that for, why are you fixing your car again, what does that tool do? He was always so fun to be around. Then, he gave me jobs to do, and I felt important and useful. The primary task would be to run back to my house and grab some of Papa’s tools for him to use.
Well into my teens, Jeff and I would shoot hoops together and play HORSE until the stars came out. He was a character, and he once had me completely convinced that his name was Jeffrey spelled with 3 f’s.
My sister Megan, just ten years younger than Jeff, recalls spending tons of time next door at his house, too. Megan said she’d go to the record store next to Piggly Wiggly and buy a new record (an actual record, before records were vintage) and she’d bring the record to Jeff’s and they’d listen to it. He’d give his opinion on what songs he liked and didn’t. As a dedicated Classic Rocker, sometimes he’d just laugh at a pop album and say it was horrible.
At 16, Megan got an old boat of a car, and Mom and Pops warned her that if she ever ran out of gas to not call them. I think the lesson was more to be responsible and not ever run out of gas. Well, she ran out of gas…and her lifeline was Jeff. Now, think of it back in the day. She had to walk from wherever her car ran out of gas to a place with a pay phone, scrounge up a quarter, and call Jeff’s phone number that she had to have memorized. Well, Jeff to the rescue!
Jeff came to the rescue a few times with our insane dog, Fluffy, too…chasing him for blocks when he ran away.
Now, if you can picture good ole 25th Avenue, and there was our driveway, then our front yard, then Jeff’s driveway, then his front yard that had a big tree in the front. Somehow, Megan backed up her big boat of a car from our driveway and across all of that and up into the tree in Jeff’s yard. Megan sat in her car, hoping no one saw her. Then she glanced up, and there was Jeff, standing in his front window, laughing his head off at her.
That same year, 1986, he met the girl across the street and fell in love. He’d come up with reasons to cross the street or be at the neighbor’s house. Betty’s mom told her she really needed to check out the young man across the street, but Betty thought if the guy was mom-approved that he probably wasn’t cool enough. But Momma Lori knew best, and he was definitely a guy worth checking out. Betty recalls falling in love with Jeff’s voice first.
Their first date was a Milwaukee Bucks basketball game with dinner at Chi Chi’s followed by Betty helping Jeff with his last-minute Christmas shopping. On Christmas, Jeff was a good boy and took Betty and her mom to a midnight mass…in Latin.
Jeff asked Betty if she could cook. She confidently said, “Yes! Eggs!” Ugh…he asked what else? She proudly said, “Toast!”
On February 14th, 1987, Jeff and Betty united in marriage. Betty helped turn Jeff’s bachelor pad into a home. Betty said that he helped her to grow up. Together they welcomed two beautiful children into the world–Adam (his little Adam Bomb-Bombers) and Elizabeth (his Punkin)–and they built a beautiful life, always putting family first.
They were a brave young couple with Jeff’s parents living next door and Betty’s parents living across the street, but they were surrounded by love and babysitters, and that little nook on 25th Avenue was a pretty special place to be. Jeff was very good to his mother-in-law, father-in-law, and stepmom and even to my Grandma Helen. Jeff had fun with her…I think they shared cigarettes together back in the day. Lots of family, lots of love, lots of backyard picnics, driveway talks, and with Jeff always lots of laughter. Oh, and the mailman. If Jeff was home and saw the mailman, he’d strike up a conversation, but the mailman had to keep walking and doing his job. So, Jeff would end up walking around the whole dang block talking to the mailman.
While raising his family, Jeff worked multiple jobs to make ends meet and to ensure that Betty could stay home when the kids were little. Betty praised Jeff for always being their protector.
Jeff had a natural talent for building and creating. He could look at a photograph and, without instructions, turn an idea into something real. Among his many projects, he built a playhouse in the basement for his children, built and remodeled the garage for his boat, remodeled the basement for extra living space, and created many pool accessories. Over the years, he accumulated more and more of his own tools and was proud to not have to borrow from Pops anymore.
Jeff loved the water. He was an avid swimmer and remained remarkably strong in the pool well into his later years. He could still swim the butterfly stroke into his 60s. Whether swimming, waterskiing or spending time at Lake Jordan, he loved life on the water. He taught his kids and grandkids how to swim and encouraged them to not be afraid of the water. At Lake Jordan, he’d take the kids in the campground water skiing and night swimming. I remember Jeff telling me to not ask to go tubing on his boat…it was waterskiing or nothing. And he’d laugh and tell me how when it’s his turn to ski, Betty and Elizabeth would be so busy talking that they wouldn’t notice when he’d fall and he’d just be bobbing in the lake until they realized they weren’t towing him any longer.
At our annual Norris “Holidome” Weekends, us kids would live in the pool, and Jeff would be right there with all of us. He was the best big brother, uncle, and dad, and would throw us in the pool and play with us and he’d be a little rougher with the boys–practically drowning Dennis and Brian–but we all loved the time and attention from him and begged for more.
One time, Jeff took me and Pops and Adam out on his boat on Lake Michigan. It was just about dusk, and we were making our way back into the harbor, and a patrol boat stopped us. They checked for life jackets and all the safety gear, and everything was all good, but then he asked Jeff to put his light on. Jeff went to put the light pole in and sweet little Adam said, “That doesn’t work.” Oh, if looks could kill. Jeff was all set to play dumb when the light didn’t go on, but Adam was oh so honest…which great parenting from Jeff and Betty…but in that moment…I’m pretty sure it landed Jeff a fine.
That incident aside, Jeff was happiest on or near the water, and he was so happy when he and Betty moved out to Belvidere, IL and purchased a home with an in-ground swimming pool. He tended to his pool with joy, and he truly became his father’s son and mowed his lawn at least 3 times a week.
Jeff enjoyed a good round of golf and was a die-hard Packers fan.
Jeff and Betty worked hard for their family and for each other, and they were able to enjoy several years of adventurous world travel together. From the Caribbean to the Baltic and beyond, they walked the beaches of Hawaii, rode a gondola through the canals of Venice, snowmobiled the Great Divide in Colorado, scuba dived, parasailed, and swam with sharks in Mexico, saw Alaskan glaciers, and loved being in love all over the world.
Betty said that before every trip, Jeff would be a little crabby and question the whole thing…why were they spending the money…but once they were there, he thought every trip was the best! But the very best trip ever for Jeff was cruising through the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal.
Above all, Jeff loved simply being with his family. Home-cooked meals with everyone gathered around the table were truly the best moments in life for him.
Betty wants to express how thankful she is for 40 years with Jeff and for his love, companionship, support, and dedication. He wouldn’t want anyone to know, but he really was a sweet and loveable teddy bear.
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I’d like to share with you one more poem, a reminder that people are more than their mistakes, more than their bad days, and maybe you can hear Jeff’s voice saying these words to you:
When I come to the end of my journey
And I travel my last weary mile,
Just forget if you can, that I ever frowned
And remember only the smile.
Forget unkind words I have spoken;
Remember some good I have done,
Forget that I ever had a heartache
And remember I’ve had loads of fun.
Forget that I have stumbled and blundered
And sometimes fell by the way.
Remember I have fought some hard battles and won,
At the close of the day,
Then forget to grieve for my going,
I would not have you sad for a day,
But in summer just gather some flowers
And remember the place where I lay
And come in the evening
When the sun paints the sky in the west,
Stand for a few moments beside me
And remember only my best.
And just part of Jeff’s bests were all the brass instruments that he helped make that went on to bring music into the world, all the cars he built that helped people travel, all the kids he taught to swim and be safe in the water, all the love he gave his family, and all the laughter that rippled through the universe because of him.
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My most heartfelt wish for us is that our broken pieces may heal and be stronger and more beautiful because we knew and loved Jeff. And so, in Jeff’s name, we must go forward with full and happy hearts–because it’s better to be grateful that it all happened than to focus on what we no longer have.
May you know in your heart that he is at peace, he is home now in the loving embrace of our Lord in heaven. He is reunited with the many loved ones he had been missing including his father Arnie, his sister Wendy, his stepdad Bob, his in-laws Wally and Lori, other friends, and so very many beloved dogs including Bonnie and Clyde, Bozo, Trixie, Shadow, and Jethro. He is surrounded by love–and it is a very happy place for him to be. And it won’t be forever, and we will all be together again…only better and happier.
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Jeff will be forever loved and missed by his beloved wife Betty, his son Adam, his daughter Elizabeth, his daughter-in-law Megan, his son-in-law Brett, his grandchildren Colton, Ashlyn, and Louis, his mother Barb, stepmother Kathy, his siblings Linda, Mike, Bobby, Megan, Janel, and me, and all of his extended family members, dear nieces and nephews, friends, and his dog Biscotti.
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May thoughts of Jeff always bring a smile to your face and light into your heart.
“Years from now. Although I cannot see your face as you flip these poems awhile, somewhere from some far-off place I hear you laughing–and I smile.” -Shel Silverstein
Oh, how I long to hear that uniquely Jeff laughter.
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Jeff, may you rest in eternal peace knowing you are dearly loved.
My sincere condolences and love, Holly