Biography: William Richard “Dick” Norton, 85, of Little Rock, died Sunday, July 9, 2023 after a period of declining health in recent weeks. He was born in Nashville, Arkansas on January 6, 1938 to the late Frank Braswell and Lila Cleora (Glasgow) Norton.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Janie Winkles; and also his second wife, Martha Ann (Wilson) (Jones) Norton. Dick is survived by three cherished stepsons, Kevin Jones and wife Lori of Little Rock; Alan Jones and wife Ellen of Fayetteville, Tennessee; and Chip Jones and wife Cynthia of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He leaves behind a host of adoring cousins and friends.

Dick grew up in De Queen, where he was raised by his mother, Lila, a single mom, along with the help and watchful eyes of her extended family while she served as the Sevier County Treasurer.

Dick graduated from De Queen High School, where he played first chair trombone and was the drum major of the De Queen Leopard Band. He had a rich baritone voice and sang in the Glee Club and Boy’s Quartet. He was a member of the National Honor Society, Leopard Yearbook Staff, and the Spanish Club. 

Dick attended Ouachita Baptist College, where he first met his classmate and future wife, Martha Ann Wilson. He was a member of the Student Senate and was elected Senate President his senior year, was Class President his sophomore year, was on the Baptist Student Union Executive Council, Dorm Council, Beta Beta Social Club, received the Class Citizenship Award, and was chosen as Campus Favorites twice. He is in the Who’s Who of American Colleges and Universities. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech.

Unfortunately, in the fall of his senior year, Dick fell dangerously ill with cryptococcal meningitis and had to leave school. After many weeks, he recovered but was left with severe vision impairment. This did not stop Dick from doing anything and everything he wanted to do in life. He and his wife Martha Ann traveled to Russia, Norway, Albania, and France, and he also traveled with his Glasgow cousins to Scotland and Ireland. He even went scuba diving and would jog for miles around his Hillcrest neighborhood.

After he left school because of illness, his classmates wrote of him in the Ouachita Baptist College yearbook, “Blessed are they who have the gift of making friends, for it is one of God’s best gifts.” … Dick Norton has been richly endowed with this gift. Dick was elected president of the OBC Student Senate for the 1959-60 school year, but his studies were interrupted this fall due to a very serious illness. Even though Dick is not on our campus, his smile, high ideals, influence, and dreams have remained in the hearts of the students who knew him. Not only has Dick been a campus leader, but he has held state-wide offices in Student Government and the Baptist Student Union…”That which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.”

Dick was a member of his local book club and loved listening to audio book recordings. He had many friends with whom he liked to go out and eat on Saturdays at the Hillcrest restaurants near his home and discuss books and politics. He had an enduring love of music throughout his life and enjoyed going to Arkansas Symphony Orchestra concerts.

In the 1980s Dick furthered his education, obtained his hospital administrator’s license and became the Administrator of the Benton Services Center. In 1991, Dick along with State Senator Charlie Cole Chaffin and some other dedicated citizens proposed using nine empty buildings at the Benton Services Center to form the UA Little Rock Benton campus to house residence halls and the school itself. This is but one example of Dick’s many accomplishments.

Memorial services will be held at Monday July 17, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, with private inurnment in the church columbarium. A reception will follow the services in the Fellowship Hall of the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Martha Ann's Scholarship Fund through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 5 Allied Drive Suite 51110, Little Rock, AR 72202, or to the First United Methodist Church, 723 Center Street, Little Rock, AR 72201, or by visiting their website at https://fmclr.org/giving/.

Cremation arrangements are under the direction of RuebelFuneralHome.com