Obituary of Lewis Benjamin Norris

Lewis Benjamin (Ben) Norris Ben Norris, age 89 of Vilas, went home to Heaven on Sunday March 14, 2021. He was born on January 16, 1932 to the late Lewis F. and Trocia Greene Norris. He graduated from Bethel High School and joined the Navy where he served for 6 year. On Feb 25, 1955 he married the love of his life the late Eliza M Jarvis. They moved to OH in 1956. He sheared sheep for several years in the summer and worked at the Sugar Beet plant in Ottawa OH. He then went to work for the West Ohio Gas company in Lima OH where he worked for 26 years till he retired and moved back to NC. He enjoyed gardening, growing flowers, taking pictures and looking for Arrowheads in the fields by his home, bird watching, hunting and fishing, and looking through buckets of sand from the gem mines for precious stones. He was a member of Bethel Baptist Church where he served as a deacon. He and his wife spent several summers in Haiti working with Mission Possible, out of Findlay OH, helping to build school and churches for the people there. He is survived by his two daughters, Nancy Elizabeth Norris Felver and husband Timothy of Vilas, Cynthia Suzzanne Norris Hendrickson and husband Rob of Tiffin, OH. Brother Roah Dudley Norris and wife Judy of Sugar Grove, NC. Brother-in-law Tommy Critcher, Boone, sister-in-law Clara Norris. Granddaughters Sondra Meier, Mandy Jenkins, Leslie Jenkins; Grandsons Charles Jenkins, Jr and Cat Longworth and wife Sheryl ; Great- granddaughters, Elizabeth Ferris, Charlese Ferris, Audrey Meier, Zoey Chestnutt, Alexis Smith, Mallory Chestnutt and Emma Jenkins; great-grandsons, Jaden Jenkins, Justice Jenkins, Zachary Ferris, Hunter Jenkins, Charles Jenkins III, Kadin L. VonDeylen, Rocco Chestnutt, Franco Chestnutt, Loyal Longworth and Hendrix Smith; great-great-granddaughters Laela Bishop and Kloe Jenkins. He was preceded in death by his brother Robert Gene Norris, sister Roberta Lynn Norris Critcher and granddaughter Elixia Chestnutt and grandson-in-law Steve Chestnutt. Funeral services for Ben Norris will be conducted on Saturday, March 20, 2021 at 2PM in the Austin & Barnes Funeral Home Chapel, in Boone NC. He will be laying in state from 12:00-2:00 p.m. The Rev Charlie Martin will be officiating. Military honors will be provided by American Legion Post #130. Burial will be in the Norris Family Cemetery. Social distancing and the use of masks will be required. Memorial donations may be made to Bethel Baptist Church Building Fund or Kari's home for Women. Online condolences may be shared with the Norris family at the website www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com. Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Norris family.