Patricia ‘Pat’ Norton, family matriarch

Patricia “Pat” Norton, our loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend peacefully made her way to heaven early Sunday morning, July 26, 2020, surrounded by her five children praying for her journey home.  At the Hail Mary’s call of “Amen”, our loved and cherished matriarch breathed her last breath and peacefully joined her village above. She was born March 17, 1928.

She is predeceased by her husband, Alfred “Bud” Norton, and survived by her five children, Joe, Steve (Sandy), Bob (Barbara), Michael (Leslie) and Amy (Rhonda); her adoring grandchildren, Toby, Kim, Tucker, Mike, Wyatt, Allie, Zach, Lindsay and Liam; and her great-grandchildren, Michaela and Charlotte. She loved, too, all of her nieces, nephews and their children as though they were her own. 

Pat was gifted with a strong faith and a belief in the power of love, qualities that enabled her to survive raising five children.  As our loving matriarch, she taught us all how to love each other, how to forgive each other, how to accept each other and how to overcome the inevitable difficulties of life and have fun doing it. 

And she did not limit her love for just family, but accepted any and all into her loving embrace.  Her favorite refrain when talking about her people was “God bless that dear, dear (loved one).”  Her legacy resounds with her colorful sense of humor and ability to laugh unabashedly out loud.  She was authentic and a true character in her own right… a real pleasure to be around.  Her kindness, compassion and giving spirit allowed all who came in contact with her to feel welcomed and cared about. 

She loved being in her home on Lewes Beach for her final days under the loving care of her daughter and sons and regular visits by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  We have been so blessed to call our Patsy “mom” and will keep her spirit alive in all of our future endeavors. 

Please join us in celebrating her life by sending any donations to Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park, P.O. Box 132, Nassau, DE 19969, or Family Promise (an organization helping the homeless) c/o Westminster Presbyterian Church, 10 W. Pleasant Grove Road, West Chester, PA 19382. We will be announcing plans for a memorial service in due course.