Feb. 13, 1942 – Oct. 16, 2021
Ronald James Norton, born Feb. 13, 1942 in Ogden, Utah, passed away, surrounded by his wife and children, on Oct. 16, 2021, in St. George, Utah. Ron was preceded in death by his parents Leslie Thomas Norton and Loretta Mae Gibbons.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Holly Kay Wimmer Norton, his children, Jeffrey (Tracy Halladay), Julie (Brian Blanchard), JaNae (Mark Harris) and John (Jen Smith), 17 grandchildren, one great-grandson, and his two brothers, Richard (Santa Monica, California) and David (Ogden, Utah).
Ron grew up in Ogden, Utah and attended Ben Lomond High School, where he excelled in track and was involved in student government.
Ron served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Northeast British mission. Ron and Holly were married in the Salt Lake Temple on 3 September 1964. Ron graduated from Brigham Young University in 1966 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, and in 1969 with a master’s degree in Public Administration.
He worked briefly as a full-time seminary teacher in Roosevelt, Utah, before moving to Arizona, for a few years where he worked for Decision Making Information as field research director. He and his family moved to Irvine, California in February of 1971, where he continued working for DMI. A few years later, he founded his own marketing and research company, Transit Research and Marketing, doing research for the Orange County Transit District and others.
Following his work in research and marketing, he began his career in commercial insurance before starting his own insurance agency and remained in the insurance industry for nearly four decades. Throughout his time in Irvine, Ron actively served in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in various ecclesiastical responsibilities. Ron and Holly moved from Irvine to San Clemente in 2001, before moving to St. George, Utah in July of 2018.
Ron was a talented writer and especially loved sharing his poetry with Holly and his children. He was also a gifted speaker in both church, business and social settings. He and Holly loved traveling and learning about other cultures, as well as spending time with dear friends in both Irvine and San Clemente. He also loved golf outings with his work associates and, on occasion, his grandchildren.
He took every opportunity he could to attend his grandchildren’s soccer games, other sporting events, plays, etc. and to be present for their awards, graduations, missions and weddings. Ron was proud of his family’s dedicated missionary service over the decades, which, including his service and that of his children, sons- and daughters-in-law and grandchildren, consisted of 18 full-time missions served around the world.
Services will be held Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 (11:30 a.m. viewing; 1-2 p.m. funeral) at the Sun River 4th Branch meetinghouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 1483 W. Angel Arch Drive, St. George, Utah. Internment at Tonaquint Cemetery, St. George, Utah.
Ron was loved by many and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
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Arrangements entrusted to the care of Pine View Mortuary 435-986-4222. Visit Pine View Mortuary’s website at www.pineviewmortuary.com for full obituary and funeral service listing.