William (Bill) Norris:
CLASS OF 1963
Battle Creek Central High SchoolClass of 1963
Battle creek, MI
William (Bill)'s Story
After graduation, the Navy was my next milestone. I was stationed for one year's shore duty at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The assignment included many things, including defense of the base at the time the water supply was cut. Later a sea water distillation plant was designed and built at Point Loma, California. After shake down, it was torn down and sent to Gitmo by ocean freightors. My unit was assigned to unload the many huge components, and transport them to the construction site for assembly. A civilian construction company was employed to put it together. The contractor hired off duty sailors to assist them, and I enjoyed the work. After my assignment there was completed, I was issued orders for the Atlantic fleet, cruiser and destroyer division. I served on the USS Ellison, DD864, and later the USS Conway, DD507. DD is the designator for Destroyer. South Atlantic, Carribean, North Atlantic and Arctic oceans. The North Atlantic is not a fun place to go, and the Arctic is miserable. We were in northern waters to mostly harass Russian submarines. The South Atlantic and Carribean Sea are great, and we visited many beautiful and interesting places.. I enjoyed most of my time in the Navy, learned lots, traveled, made friends with some of the best men in the world. I was Petty Officer second class, (E5) at discharge. It truly was an honor and a priviledge to serve our country in the Navy. I was seriously considering a career, but I had met a girl back home before enlisting, and the Navy was great for a single man, but difficult for families, and with long term deployments, often with no forewarning, the toll on families is rough.
After discharge I returned home to Battle Creek, immedeatly found employment with Eaton Corporation. Two years later I was offered a four year apprenticeship in the machine repair trade. I had found my nich, and loved the work. The apprenticeship included schooling, and lots of OJT, and the four years flew by. After graduating and receiving my Federal Certificate of Completion and a Journ...Expand for more
eymans Card, life really was looking good. Fast forward eighteen years and the plant was closed and moved out of state. I found employment with Post cereal as a machine repairman, and later moved he millwright department, and then was asked to supervise the department. I did that for two years, and had an opportunity to join Kellogg Company. Again as a machine repairman. After a time, I had an opportunity to move to the millwright department. Things went well until Kellogg decide to "right size the company thirteen years later, so along with hundreds of others, I needed to find something. At that time another cereal manufacturer was looking for a maintenance supervisor, with lots of experience. I was fifty-four years old, had qualified for my second Journeymans card and Federal Certificate, this time in the Millwright trade. I took the assignment, and for the most part found the work challenging, and enjoyable. Ralston allowed me to manage mostly my way, and also to step into many other areas to expand my duties, and do many different tasks, and again with autonomy. After retiring in November of 2010, I was shocked by how much I missed working, and the people. It took a while to adjust, but I am enjoying retirement.
I married Nancy Ehrlich, a 1963 graduate of St. Phillips. We have four daughters, nine wonderful and interesting grandchildren, three sons-in-law that are great husbands and fathers. They are the sons that I never had, and I love them as my own sons. Our four daughters range from school teacher, manager at Kellogg in sales, credit union executive, and a self employed antique and collectables dealer.
I enjoy woodworking and have a nicely equipped shop in the pole barn, and also enjoy cutting logs into lumber on our sawmill. I read, mostly history, we have a fifth wheel camper and intend to travel more, now that there is time for it. I am happy and thankful for my wonderful wife, our children, grandchildren, and sons-in-law. My wife and family mean everything to me, and life has truly been good.
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