Peter Norton

1929 - 2015

Peter Bowes Norton, 85, of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, passed away at his home on Sunday, April 19, 2015. Beloved husband for 62 years of Heather (Pearch) Norton, loving father of Janet Norton, and Fiona (Jeff) White. Dear grandfather of Jeremy, Tommy, Katana, Peter; and Abbey, Nicola and Robbie White; and great-grandfather of Gary and Dylan; fond brother-in-law of Joan Pearch; and cherished cousin of Shirley Lancaster, both of Essex, England. Born on May 4, 1929 in London, England; the only child of Margaret (Bowes) and James Norton. He joined the British Royal Navy at the age of 15, and served for 15 years, rising to the rank of lieutenant. He attended Dartmouth Royal Naval College and Greenwich Naval College in England. He joined Encyclopaedia Britannica International in London in 1966, and was transferred to the Chicago office in 1969, and then moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada to become the Managing Director of the Canadian office of Britannica in 1971. He returned to Chicago in 1974 to become the President of Britannica's newly formed United States Division. He was then named President and Chief Executive Officer of Encyclopaedia Britannica Incorporated in 1985, a position that he held until his retirement from the company in 1996. An avid reader, a great lover of music, an enthusiastic golfer and a devoted family man, he moved from Chicago to Glen Ellyn in 2002, and was elected to the position of Village Trustee, for a four-year term, beginning in 2004. A funeral service is being held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 393 N. Main Street, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, 60137, on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 10:00 o'clock in the morning. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choosing.