Robert ''Rusty'' Wallace Norton's Obituary
Rusty Norton earned many friends with his outgoing personality , contagious good humor and positive attitude. He did not lose touch with old friends, but continued to add new friends to the circle of people whose lives he touched. In business, he led the city in his professional approach to the commercial real estate industry and his commitment to the community. Owner of Norton Real Estate, Inc., Rusty used his advanced knowledge in the field of real estate to assist many people. He recently received his CCIM
designation the highest designation that can be achieved by a commercial Realtor@ by graduating from the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute. Before beginning his real estate career, Norton, along with several family members, was owner of a concrete company bearing the family name of Norton Concrete. Norton Concrete operated fourteen plants in the East Texas area and was in business twenty years before selling the company in 1987.
Rusty was born in Terrell, Texas to Thomas E. Norton and Helen Claire Davis. He graduated from Terrell High School and went on to earn his Bachelor of Business Administration from East Texas State University.
Norton was an active resident of Longview for twenty-nine years. His involvement in the community includes having served as a City Councilman for District 6 and being a charter member of Longview 2020. He was an active member of the Downtown Rotary Club and Longview Partnership. He has served on many boards including the Salvation Army, the American Cancer Society and the Boy's and Girl's Club of Gregg County .He also served as a volunteer chaplain at Good Shepherd Medical Center for three years. But his first commitment to any organization was to Trinity Episcopal Church of which he had been a member for over 20 years. He served on the church's Vestry Board, Endowment Board and has been Mission Funding Coordinator for the Diocese of Texas -Northeast Convocation. He was recently chosen to become an Assistant Verger , a position of great honor in the Episcopal Church.
He his survived my his wife, Andee, his daughter, Meredith and her husband, John Lucas of Graham, Texas, his step-daughter, Cissy Wrather of Longview, his step-son, David and wife, Janet Wrather of Houston, Texas. Five Grandchildren, Jack Lucas, Robert Lucas, Hunter Wrather, Jack Wrather and Abigail Wrather. His brothers, Joe Norton of Tyler, Texas, Tom Norton of Terrell, Texas and his sister, Claire Schilhab also of Tyler as well as several nieces and nephews.
A deep void will be felt by all who knew this extraordinary man.
The family request that those who desire may make memorial contributions to Trinity Episcopal Church, Trinity School of Texas or to the American Cancer Society.
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