Elsie Norton Watson

Kenai, AK resident, Elsie Norton Watson, passed away Thursday, August 18, 2011,at Heritage Place in Soldotna, AK, with herdaughter by her side. Elsie was born May23, 1914, in St. Maries, ID to Levi and Ruth(Montandon) Johnson. After graduation from high school in 1930, as the Salutatorian at age 15, the family moved to Wenatchee, where Mrs. Watson attended BusinessCollege. She worked as a Legal Secretary for the City of Wenatchee Police Judge until her marriage to Claude H. Norton on January 14, 1934. During their marriage, she lived in Everett, Nespelem and Ellensburg, WA, and also Winchester and Lewiston, ID, where they owned and operated grocery stores. In the late 1940’s, the family moved to Wenatchee Heights, where they owned a fruit orchard for many years, prior to moving back to Wenatchee in 1960. Mr. Norton died in 1961. Elsie was the Administrative Assistant to the Wenatchee Chamber of Commerce/Washington State Apple Blossom Association for many years. During that time, she was involved in many civic and church activities. Elsie was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church of Wenatchee and had been the Superintendent of the nondenominational church on Wenatchee Heights. She was a past board member of the Wenatchee Salvation Army, Wenatchee YWCA and a member of the Altrusa Club. She was also a member of the Astral Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star for almost 70 years, serving as its first husband and wife Matron and Patron and a member of the Daughters of the Nile and Zenobia Club of Wenatchee. In 1966, Elsie married J. Howard Watson and they moved to Anchorage, AK until his retirement from the F.A.A. They returned to Wenatchee to spend their retirement years and spent winters in Arizona. They moved to Kenai in 1993, to reside with their daughter and son-inlaw, Sue and Jim Carter. Elsie was an avid Seattle Seahawks football fan and enjoyed weekly bets with her friends. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Claude Norton and J. Howard Watson; and a granddaughter, Amy Norton. She is survived by her daughter, Sue Carter of Kenai, AK; son and daughter-in-law, Ronald and Juanice Norton of Tulsa, OK; grandsons and spouses, Ron and Molly Norton of Issaquah, WA and Paul and Jennifer Norton of Bothell, WA; adopted grandson and his wife, Michael and Kerry Washburn of Puyallup, WA; several great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; step-daughters and spouse, Elizabeth and Jim Watson Perry of Chelan, WA and Kathleen Watson Johnston of Maple Valley, WA; nieces, Jackie Brown Fairbanks of Lake Pend Oreille, ID and Mary Tufts and husband, Dennis of Ocean Park, WA; and many extended family members, including the Carter family, all of whom she held so dear. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 27, 2011, at Jones & Jones~Betts Funeral Home in Wenatchee, WA. Burial will be at the Wenatchee City Cemetery. Arrangements in Alaska were by Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai.

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Elsie Norton Watson

May 23, 1914 - August 18, 2011