WESTON, Mass. — David, A. Norton, formerly of Melrose, Massachusetts, died peacefully surrounded by his family on November 8, 2022, after a short period of declining health.

Born on October 10, 1930, in Medford, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late Carl P. and Catherine (O’Brien) Norton of Malden, Massachusetts. He graduated from Malden Catholic High School and went on to attend Boston College, majoring in accounting, in their college of Business Administration.

Following graduation, he served three years in the US Army, attending language school at the Army Security Agency.  He was assigned to the US Army’s Communication Intelligence Service, and was stationed in Germany and Turkey during the Korean Conflict.   

He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 60 years, Marie L. Norton, of Weston. 

He was the endearing father of Mark Norton and his wife Beth Ann Strollo of Newton Centre; Kenneth Norton and his wife Lauren Noether of Tilton, N.H.; Diane Norton and her husband Sandy Ellsworth of Camden, Maine, and the late Michelle Norton. He was the loving grandfather of Alyssa Norton of Tilton, N.H., and Christopher Norton of Newton Centre and great grandfather of Summer Rose Norton and many beloved nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Barbara R. Norton, and brother Paul J. Norton and his wife Gertrude Norton Grondin. 

Dave’s love of numbers led him to become a Certified Public Accountant who worked for over 25 years for the Allyn and Bacon textbook publishing company where he served as Vice President, Finance and Secretary.  He later opened his own accounting business and worked closely with Peter Waystack, Esq. of Melrose. 

He was a loyal Red Sox and New England sports teams fan who once tried out for the Boston Braves.  As a long-suffering Red Sox fan, when the Sox finally won the World Series in 2004, he exclaimed, “now I can die a happy man!”  He was a champion candlepin bowler and founded and served as the Program Director Emeritus of the Melrose East Side Golfers Association (unaffiliated) and he also enjoyed playing cribbage, poker and other card games.  He was a charter member of the Incarnation Parish in Melrose, and a member of the Norman Prince Post VFW. 

He was an avid reader as well as a prolific writer and poet who used his keen observations of people and events as inspiration for poems he wrote for/about family and friends and for residents and staff at Maplewood Senior Living in Weston where he was known as the Poet in Residence.  He wrote a weekly family newsletter, which chronicled family activities across multiple decades.  With his daughter Diane as editor, he also wrote, and self-published an autobiography and several other books about his life.

Family was the focus, and most important dimension of David’s life.  He was an attentive and loving father and grandfather and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his brothers/sisters in law and his nieces and nephews.   He was steadfast in supporting Marie’s pursuit of, and degrees in Divinity and Theology, and while he remained a devout Catholic, he embraced learning about and experiencing other religious traditions. 

At David’s specific request, burial services will be private; a memorial mass of David’s life will be held at the Incarnation Church in Melrose at a date and time to be announced. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice, the Jimmy Fund, Boston, or the Malden Catholic High School Scholarship Fund, 99 Crystal Street, Malden. To send a message of condolence please visit www.gatelyfh.com.