Norris H. Gould

1938 - 2022

Norris H. Gould, age 84, of Plano, Illinois, was released into the eternal care of his Heavenly Father, surrounded by the love and prayers of his family, Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at Rush Copley Medical Center due to multiple health complications. He was born on September 24, 1938, in Aurora, IL, the first of seven children, to proud and loving parents, Norris and Frances Gould.

Norris grew up in Elburn and attended local schools, graduating from Elburn High School with the class of 1956. It was in and around the halls of Kaneland High School that he would meet the love of his life, he just didn't know it yet. Arlene Severson had her eye on Norris and in time fate brought them together on November 29, 1959.

The two took a chance on love and were united in marriage on September 3, 1960, at the Grace United Methodist Church in Maple Park. They began their new life and started a family in Maple Park but soon found a home in Plano where their family would become complete, and a million memories were made.

As a young man, you could find Norris hard at work at many different jobs in the surrounding areas of Elburn, but at age 17, you could be sure to see him while he worked at Wally Theis' gas station on the corner of Galena Blvd and Rt. 47. It was here where he received encouragement to apply at Caterpillar. After briefly attending Northern Illinois University and two years of Caterpillar education and training, Norris rose from a floor sweeper to a process planner and even proudly served as one of Caterpillar's EMT. During this time, he even opened a children's clothing store alongside Arlene, named Little Rascals. After 45 years at Caterpillar, Norris left the halls of large machine manufacturing and indulged in his entrepreneurial spirit once again, this time making labels under the name of Newton Enterprises. That entrepreneurial spirit was passed on to his children who had started their own business, G-Force Labels & Printing, which Norris was only too happy to join as co-owner, printer, and sometimes master nap taker. Bringing his care for his community to life, Norris was the power behind a new endeavor, Senior Dine Out, a subsidized non-profit program where he partnered with local restaurants and organized meals for seniors in Kendall County.

Norris was a dedicated family man who built a life from his foundation of faith. He held nearly every position the United Methodist Church of Plano could come up with, plus a few more to boot. He served on every committee, was a Lay Delegate to the conference, a trustee and even the janitor. You could look all over the world and never find a better steward than Norris. His love of community went beyond the church walls whenever the fire whistle blew. He may have been too advanced in years to help the smoke chasers on the Plano Fire Department, but in his younger days, he was all too happy to share his wisdom and courage on the Maple Park Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter. You would think that he had no spare time, but Norris never missed a chance to fish for anything that would jump on his hook, (including an infamous anchor) or read any book that jumped in his hands. If Lake Delton, Lake Delavan and the Tim Tam Resort allowed him to physically get away, reading everything from Readers Digest, Stephen King and Tom Clancy were his intellectual escape. Laughter was rampant when he and his brothers came together to play poker and he always made time to watch a western on television. Norris didn't travel often, but when he did, he shared his love of suspenders as freely as his friendship with everyone he met. His trip to Europe, as "chaperone" to his daughter's choir students, was the highlight of many a memory but paled in comparison to the love he had for the family he held so dear.

Norris now leaves his loving and dedicated wife, Arlene Gould of 62 years; 4 children: Tammy Gould, Greg (Dee Dee) Gould, Mike (Michelle) Gould and Todd (Tina) Gould; 10 grandchildren: Gregory (Ashley) Gould, Amanda Gould, Daniel "DJ" (Jessie) Gould, Michael John Gould, Jr., and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Gould, Dustin (Taylor Minnis) Flowers, Matt Jordan, Justin (Brooke) Nelson, Eric (Jamie) Nelson and Nichole Nelson; 10 great grandchildren: Jake and Amelia Gould, Aubrey and Greyson Gould, Bradley Gould-Michelkamp, Odin Galloway, Emery and Jacx Flowers and Bennett and Cameron Nelson; 6 siblings: Roger "Dean" (Sandi) Gould, Tim (Robin) Gould, Steve (Faith) Gould, Tom (Sharon Beck) Gould and Cindy (Kerry) Kane; sisters-in-law, Kathleen "Kathy" (Donny) Lampkins and Rita Gould, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a countryside full of friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Norris and Frances Gould; a brother Larry Gould; one nephew Jason Gould; two sisters-in-law: Marilyn Gould and Maxine Bruns; one brother-in-law, Buck Severson, as well as his mother and father-in-law, O.J. "Swede" and Jeanne Severson.

Visitation will be from 3-7 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of Plano, Monday, December 5, 2022. A funeral service to celebrate his life will begin at 11 a.m., Tuesday, December 6, also at the church. Interment will follow at the Little Rock Cemetery.

A memorial will be established in Norris's name to benefit the United Methodist Church of Plano. Memorial checks may be made to the Norris Gould Memorial and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, IL 60119. Tributes and memories may be left on the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Pager or through his obituary at www.conleycare.com.