Funeral services for Charles Norton, 92, were held Friday, May 9, 2025 at the First Baptist Church in Rosedale, Okla. Interment was at the Hopping Cemetery east of Wayne, Okla., under the direction of the Wilson-Little Funeral Home in Purcell.
Mr. Norton passed away peacefully on May 6, 2025.
Charles Ray Norton was born October 8, 1932 in Ada, Oklahoma, to Henry Jewel Norton and Lottie Vanita (McElmurry) Norton.
He attended school at Ada where he excelled in sports, especially track. He began truck driving at the age of 16. He continued driving until he was drafted into the Korean War. Charles served in the United States Army with an attachment to the United States Air Force where he helped to build runways. He was honorably discharged from the United States Army at the end of the war in 1954.
After the war, he went back to driving trucks in the oil field. He met the love of his life, Rita Elkins, when he stopped for lunch at the restaurant where Rita worked in Ratliff City, Oklahoma. Later they eloped to Gainesville, Texas, with Rita’s cousin, Alice Short and Tom McKelvain on November 9, 1958.
After a few years, they welcomed a baby daughter, Janet Lynn. Charles then took a job driving trucks for Lee Way Motor Freight located in Oklahoma City, Okla. He retired after 20 years. During his truck driving career, he was honored with a watch for driving a million miles without any accidents.
Upon retirement he and Rita moved to Rosedale, Okla., where Rita grew up. Charles began to raise steers and put on team roping events. They became active members in the Rosedale First Baptist Church, where they served the Lord faithfully.
Charles was always good-hearted and full of fun. His hobbies were coon hunting with his brother-in-law, Dale Elkins, watching car races, riding horses, fishing, going to the lake, watching his granddaughters play sports and cheer at ball games, and of course taking Rita wherever she wanted to go on vacations. His smile, good-heartedness, orneriness, and wit will be dearly missed.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Lottie Norton; his wife, Rita; and two sisters, Wanda Bowers and Patricia Scarberry.
Charles is survived by his daughter, Janet Little and her husband, Roland, of Wayne; granddaughters, Julie Gentry and her husband, Mike, of Wayne and Krista Boles and her husband, Justin, of Rosedale; great-grandkids, Addison Porter, Rhett Boles, Ozzie Gentry, Raylynn Boles and Ruger Boles.
The family would like to express their love and gratitude to Sunset Nursing Home and Loving Care Hospice, for loving and taking care of their sweet Charles as if he was a part of their family.
Online condolences may be made at www.wilsonlittle.com.