Gwendolyn Norton

Gwendolyn Frances "Fran" Norton, born April 10, 1920, died at home in Anchorage November 16, 2013.

Fran was born in Fresno, California to Don Dean Dawson and Cora Beatrice Howton. They were divorced when Fran was very young. Her mother later married Edward Nee. She lived much of her childhood in the mountains east of Los Angeles where Ed ran dams and powerhouses.

She graduated from high school in Brea, California in 1936 and Fullerton Junior College in 1939. She attended Knapp School of Nursing in Santa Barbara, California, graduating in 1943.

She married Tedd Thompson in 1944. Their son Paul was born in 1947. They divorced in 1952.

She worked as an RN in the San Francisco and LA areas for several years, until she decided she wanted a change. This eventually involved driving from LA to Anchorage in 1956, quite a trip in those days.

She soon moved to Petersberg, where she lived until 1969. It was here she met Emmet "Norty" Norton. She was a bookkeeper and cook for his logging company. When they were married in 1964, she gained two stepsons, Robert and Rex Norton.

Norty sold the logging company in 1969, after which they moved to Anchorage. There they bought the Party House bar, which they ran until 1976, when they sold it and moved out of state.

As many do, they returned within a few years. Norty worked in construction in operating engineers 302 and Fran as and RN with the Anchorage Senior Center. She retired in 1989.

She enjoyed her friends, family and flower gardens.

She was preceded in death by Norty in 2006.

She is survived by brother and sister in law Don and Anna Marie Nee; son Paul Thompson, daughter in law Mary Zacharias; stepson Robert Norton, daughter in law Bea Hicks; stepson Rex Norton, daughter in law Carol Norton; grandchildren Jeffery Thompson, Katherine Thompson, Anthony Norton, Luke Norton, and Karen Boutwell; as well as her neighbors, who cared about her, as she cared about them.

Fran was a strong willed woman who was well thought of. She will be missed.