Orley Norris

Orley Wayne Norris passed into the loving arms of his Savior on January 11, 2022, surrounded by family at the home that he and his wife Carol built in 1954. He battled multiple myeloma for several years with the same determination that he did life right up until the end.
Orley was born on September 9, 1930, in Traverse City, Michigan and raised on a farm in Long Lake Township. As a youth he worked in auto repair for his brother Floyd, and in his late teens enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving his country as an aircraft mechanic in Texas. Upon his return to Traverse City, Michigan, he married the love of his life Carol (Daane) Norris in 1953 and worked at Parts Manufacturing in Traverse City. Shortly after their wedding he began supporting his family with a job at Harris Well Drilling followed by successful jobs at Grand Rapids Sash and Door, Kellogg's, Commercial Equipment Co, Purvis Brothers, and Actron Steel. His ability to use his ingenuity, friendly demeanor and "never-know-a-stranger" mentality made him a natural in sales at Wanigan Lumber and then Red Mill Lumber. After this, Orley went to work with good friends for a few years at Long Lake Gravel, working on a stone crusher and collecting occasional Petoskey stones as he saw them come across the belt. These he would shine up with his rock polisher to make beautiful gifts. During this time, he honed his skills as a welder and all-around Mr. Fix-It. He worked for several years as a supervisor for Goodin and Bigelow where he was involved in the construction of numerous commercial buildings in the Traverse City area. As part of a major Front Street project that involved digging up the sidewalks, he discovered many old bottles from days when folks used their now sidewalk area as a place to bury their garbage. Later in life he took on the challenging role as the zoning administrator of Long Lake Township, where he worked tirelessly to uphold the rules with a reasonable and logical approach. At 75, when most would think of retiring, he again embarked on a new career as warehouse manager and delivery driver for Precision Plumbing & Heating Systems, his daughter and son-in-law's business. He poured his heart into every area of the company and became legendary to all who worked with him for the next 11 years. Orley endeared himself to all who interacted with him and made it his goal to never grumble or complain when things didn't go well or when he had to pick up behind someone.
Orley's name means "God is my everlasting light" or "surrounded by light", and he truly had a constant "light" around him. In 1972 Orley began his relationship with Jesus and it changed the trajectory and focus of his life. Whether it was his big friendly smile followed by "Hey there!" or his knowing wave as he was parting ways with you, there was always a simple knowing that your time with Orley was a gift, and a sense of kindness and sweetness surrounded you. His thoughtful demeanor was a constant light that was a true gift from God, and we were privileged to experience it first-hand. He was a member and longtime congregant of New Hope Community Church and enjoyed serving there among all the cherished friends he made.
Orley was preceded in passing by his mother and father, Ruby and Rushel Norris as well as his siblings, Floyd Norris, Evelyn (Norris) Harris, and Arlene (Norris) Hughey. He built a great legacy of 6 children, 33 grandchildren, and 75 great-grandchildren. He leaves behind his devoted wife of 68 years, Carol; his children Ken and Glady (VanSloten) Norris; Scott and Lauri (McGuire) Norris; Jay and Teresa (Black) Norris; Gary and Jan (Norris) Bower; Pete and Vicki (Colestock) Norris; Bob and Leslie (Norris) Roe.
There are so many wonderful Orley stories of determination, thoughtfulness, inspiration, selflessness, ingenuity, and his unique ability to MacGyver absolutely anything, anywhere, no matter what supplies were available. He used his gentle but strong, large hands to do everything from farming to building their family home. He had a work ethic that is hard to find nowadays and worked the pace of most 25-year-olds. Orley is a treasure and will leave an enormous void in all our lives, but we will do our best to carry on his legacy by living with exceptional integrity, care and compassion. He was the best husband, father, grandfather, and friend a person could hope for, and his example will live on for generations. We look forward to seeing him at Heaven's gates and having him show us all the inventions his creative mind has come up with between now and the time we see him again, when he wraps his strong arms around us to welcome us with his "Hey there, come on in!"
A celebration of Orley's life will take place at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 5, 2022, at New Hope Community Church (5100 Bethesda Ct., Williamsburg, MI) with appetizers to follow. All who would like will have an opportunity to jot down a special memory of Orley at this celebration of his life for Carol to enjoy afterwards. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to be made to Thrive Medical Clinic ( https://thrivemedicalclinic.org ) or New Hope Community Church ( https://newhope.cc/give/ ).