Earl Gerald Van Norman, Jr. Obituary (1956 - 2012)

Palermo, Maine-Earl Gerald Van Norman, Jr., 55, died unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 8, 2012. Earl was born in Pontiac, Michigan on February 10, 1956, son of Earl Gerald and Mary Jane (Glombowski) Van Norman. Earl graduated from Capac Community High School, Capac, MI, in 1974. He served in the U.S. Navy beginning in 1974, did five ship tours and traveled the world. He retired from the Navy in 1997 in Freeport,ME where he met and married Judith, his wife of more than fourteen years. In 2004 he moved with his wife to Palermo, ME where he took up farming, a life long dream. He raised vegetables, livestock, and poultry which he generously shared with family, friends and neighbors. He loved working out of doors cutting wood, tiling the soil, tending his animals. He liked experimenting and finding solutions to problems and was always available to help his neighbors. Earl is survived by his wife, Judith; a sister Pamela Ironside and husband Louis of Almont, MI; a brother Robert Van Norman and wife Denise of Knoxville, TN; two nieces, Melissa Pless and Rachel Kosnow, and seven nephews, Jason Ironside, Christopher Ironside, Robert Van Norman, Joey Van Norman, Thomas Van Norman, Johnathon Kosnow, and Steven Wiswell; many cousins; his dog, Emma, and his cat, Zoe. He was predeceased by his parents Earl and Mary Jane Van Norman. A memorial service will be held at the Palermo Christian Church, Palermo, ME at 2:00pm on Sunday, February 12, 2012. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Earl's memory to The Salvation Army, Belfast Me Service Unit, P.O. Box 9200, Lewiston, ME 04243-9200.