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Franklin Norton Obituary

    Franklin J. “Frank” Norton, 83, of Lake City, formerly of Conception, rural Kellogg, died Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019 at The Bluffs of Lake City.              He was born May 13, 1936 in Wabasha, to Aiden and Gertrude (Gilcreast) Norton.  He attended country school at Conception for eight years and his teacher was his mother for those years.  He then attended and graduated from Plainview High School.  There he participated in football which he thoroughly enjoyed.  After high school he was employed at the Kellogg Creamery as a milk hauler.  He also worked at Wayne Lumber Co. and Danckwart Feed and Grain, both located in Kellogg.
    He married Rita A. Burns Aug. 26, 1959 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Lewiston.  The couple moved to Wabasha in 1959.  He worked at Valley Craft in Lake City for 15 years and then Great River Industries in Wabasha for 15 years.  In 1969 they moved to the Norton family farm at Conception, rural Kellogg and raised beef cattle while continuing to work in town.  In 2000 he retired from farming and raising the cattle and built a new home on 32 acres of his farm.  The couple moved off the farm and to Lake City in 2015.
    Frank was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.  He enjoyed his farming life, entertaining his two grandsons, mowing his lawn, eating out and dancing.
    He is survived by his wife, Rita Norton of Lake City; one son and his special friend, Kevin Norton and Darla Dohrn of Lake City; two grandsons, Austin and Hunter Norton of Lake City; one sister, Joyce (Romaine) Miller of Wabasha; and nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers and sister-in-law, William “Pat” and Anita Norton and infant, Vincent Norton and sisters and brothers-in-law, Janice and Bernard Lager and Marilyn and Warren Bloomquist.
    A funeral mass will be held Thursday, Oct. 10, at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Conception, rural Kellogg with the Reverend Father William Becker and Deacon David Dose co-officiating. Interment will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Winona.  Casket bearers are his two grandsons and six nephews.  Visitation will continue at the church on Thursday one hour before the mass.  
    Memorials are preferred to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, c/o St. Joachim’s Catholic Church, 900 Broadway Ave., Plainview, MN  55964 or to Alzheimer’s Association, 3224 6th Ave. NE, Unit A, Rochester, MN  55906.      
    The Abbott Funeral Home of Wabasha is in charge of arrangements www.abbottfh.com.
 

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ISSN 2994-1059 (print)  ISSN 2994-1067 (online)