Morrell S. Norton

Morrell Sherburne Norton, 88 of Kittery, Maine died in East Windsor, CT on 5/9/25. Born in Kittery, Maine (and then resided in Manchester since 1963), Morrell grew up on a small farm near Chauncey’s Creek -in a small house built by his father. There he had a paper route, and loved riding his bike doing odd jobs for people. He had such a fondness for his one room childhood elementary school (Shapleigh), that far into the 1990s we all had to do the drive by every time we visited the area. No exceptions. In 1952 he was on the baseball team that won the rival “big game” (Traip Academy), and he kept that baseball to this day. As soon as he was able to get a license he bought his first car: A black 1940 Ford Deluxe Coup. He made sure the first picture he had of that car was him leaning on it, James Deane style. His second car that he exceptionally loved was his 1966 Red Ford Mustang. He loved to tinker with that car even when a tinker wasn’t needed. Morrell was a car guy through and through.
He was an avid Red Sox fan who married an avid Yankees fan and fun conversations were had.
Morrell also loved music-particularly country. He did however end up singing onstage with the Lettermen at Foxwoods in 2000s, randomly. That’s how outgoing he was. He loved to talk and meet new people.
Morrell was a member of the silent generation, and intensely patriotic. In 1953 he joined the United States Air Force as an airline mechanic during the Korean conflict and earned the nickname "Top". After his service, he and his brother moved to Connecticut to both work at Pratt and Whitney. There he met his wife Darlene to whom he was married to for 51 years. His brother then married Darlene’s best friend Jean. The couples were inseparable and had many friends that they like to play cards with. After he retired from Pratt & Whitney in the 1990s, he took on a second career as an HVAC technician at Northern Correctional Institute at 65. He retired with his wife concurrently in 2012.
Morrell was predeceased by both of his parents, his wife, his brother Delwyn and his nephew James. He is survived by his daughter Kimberlee (Rob) Anderson, his sister Jeaneth Beckert of Eliot ME and many in-laws, nieces, nephews, dear friends, and his beloved cat Scooter.
There will be an Hour of Remembrance which will be held on Thursday, May 15th from 6pm till 7pm at Holmes Watkins Funeral Home, located at 400 Main Street, Manchester CT. Burial will take place the following morning at State Veterans Cemetery located at 317 Bow Lane Middletown, CT at 10am with Military Honors. Contributions to Morrell's memory can be made to Fidelco or any groups that supports Veterans. To leave an online condolence please visit www.holmeswatkins.com