Thomas Norris

Thomas Barnard Norris, 75, passed away on February 6, 2025. 

Thomas Barnard Norris was born to Ezra Keith Norris and Jean Welch Norris in Glendale, California on August 15, 1949, and was the youngest of three children. He had two older brothers, Philip Norris and Jim Norris. When Tom was 2 months old, the family moved to Pocatello, Idaho where Tom would spend the rest of his school years until he graduated from Pocatello High School in 1967.

After Graduation, Tom joined the Army and served in Vietnam in the Signal Corps. After Vietnam, he returned to pursue a career in law enforcement. He attended the Law Enforcement course at ISU then worked with the Pocatello Police department. Tom married Linda Fitzen December 5, 1974. Together, they raised three children: Amy LaRae: born December 21, 1973, Michael Thomas Keith, born July 07, 1976, and Daniel Isaiah, born December 10, 1984.

Tom moved to work with the Garden City Police department while simultaneously serving in the Idaho Air National Guard. In 1978, Tom rejoined the Army. While in the Army, Tom worked as a Military Police Officer, an undercover agent in CID, a recruiter, and with the special forces as an SI. He was stationed in Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Korea, Japan, and Germany. In 1986, Tom earned a BS in Sociology from SUNY. He later completed his Master’s degree with ISU.

Unfortunately, his time in Vietnam revisited him as agent orange poisoning. His final duty assignment was spent at Walter Reed Medical Center before being medically retired. Tom and Linda divorced in the mid 1990’s. His second marriage was to Sonia Thyberg. Tom and Sonia were married on August 7, 2001. They moved from Pocatello to Meridian in 2010 and remained married until Sonia’s death on June 20, 2012.

Tom remained active with the causes he cared about despite his ever-failing health. Most notable was his work with the DAV and the VFW. He was active in both the Pocatello and Meridian chapters, holding various offices at both local and state levels.

Tom was a warm, caring, and generous person that took hardship and heartache in stride with hope and humor. He was a gentle soul with a great capacity for love and joy. Tom loved to tease, had a soft heart for anyone in need, and will be missed by all who knew him. He loved his family and health permitting; he would go to family reunions and events.

Tom passed away peacefully in his home February 6, 2025, with his dog Bronco and his cousin Cozette at his side.

He is survived by his daughter, Amy Norris; two daughters-in-law: Brandie Wilkinson and Darling Frederick; seven grandchildren: Isaac, Christopher, and Cierra Norris, Jakob and Daxen Wilkinson and Jolieauna and Michael Ruthersford Norris; and his brother Jim Norris. He was preceded by his parents, his brother Philip, his wife Sonia, and his sons Michael and Daniel.

Funeral services for Tom will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Wilks Colonial Funeral Home (2005 S 4th Ave, Pocatello ID 83201) with a viewing the hour prior. Interment will take place at the Paradise Cemetery (8940 S 340 E, Paradise, UT 84328) later that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. where military honors will be presented. Anyone wishing to send flowers are asked instead to make a memoriam donation to the VFW or DAV: The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) or Support DAV Today! - Donate Today - Disabled American Veterans (DAV) 

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