John Norris of Huntington, West Virginia, died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, July 5th, 2025, at Huntington Hospice House.

John was born to Joseph Russell Norris and Martha Lee White Norris on June 24, 1953. Appropriately fleeing Ohio’s borders immediately following his birth, John grew up in Ravenswood, West Virginia, with his sister Lee Anne and lifelong friend Rick Lafferty. As a five-year-old, John watched his father die of brain cancer; this grief profoundly shaped John’s life. Martha, his beloved mother, persevered as a single parent. Though Martha’s formidable strength succeeded in many respects, John eloped to Morgantown, where he prodigiously flaunted his mother’s polite sensibilities while incidentally completing his college and graduate degrees at West Virginia University, indubitably alongside innumerable incandescent couches.

Seeking a state equally as sophisticated as West Virginia, John spent his years as a husband and father in Alabama. Connie Lynne Riley Norris, John’s wife, still resides in Florence, Alabama, where they raised Russ, their son, who now lives on the same Alabama beach where John frequently had taken Russ to swim in often precarious rip currents — remember, it was the early 90s. Despite the sordid imperfections of their family life, even in his pleasantly altered state, John always seemed comforted by the belief that Connie was at his bedside; Russ and Lee Anne were with John the evening before John died. They all loved him amidst everything complicated about their relationships; in the end, they were all with him in their own way. John is also survived by nieces and nephews Matt Kayser, Jennifer Kayser Gerlach, Emily Kayser, Katie Kayser, and brother-in-law Dallas Kayser.

As a child, John was baptized at First Baptist Church in Ravenswood, West Virginia, marking a unique moment where John was truly in the good graces of that wholesome tradition. While John’s life was bookended by misbehavior in his childhood church and irreverent remarks towards his assisted living bible study (which cannot be repeated in this publication), John developed a discerned faith in the Christian scriptures during his time living in Florence, Alabama.

John worked a multi-decade career in safety engineering and human resources across multiple manufacturing facilities; he was particularly happy during his time at Reynolds Metals Company near Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He tastefully wrapped Christmas and birthday gifts in aluminum foil.

Also fond of aluminum cans, John was a loyal patron of the Anheuser-Busch Company, punctuating his southern, summer evenings in the garage with a voluminously stocked fridge and modestly priced cigars. He loved military history, genealogy, movies, the Beatles, Swiss Army knives, coin collecting, hot sauce, Lady Gaga, and college football.

Following John’s life-altering traumatic brain injury in 2016, his sister Lee Anne visited him every week. The family is grateful for Wyngate Assisted Living as well as Huntington Health and Rehab’s care during those years, particularly in light of John’s colorful commentary at various nursing stations.

Unsuccessful at having his mortal remains rendered unto science — a potentiality that brought John considerable amusement — John’s ashes will find their way to various Morgantown establishments of the utmost repute, and probably the Gulf of Mexico for good measure. There will be no service, although ritual reception of Bud Lite would be liturgically appropriate at this juncture.

As John never threw a damn thing away, the family would prefer no gifts, cards, nor flowers. John donated to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, where he would welcome donations in his name.

Wallace Family Funeral Home, South Point, OH, is honored to assist the family with arrangements. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.wallaceffh.com.