AUBURN — Maj. John Norman, 93, U.S. Army, Retired, of Turner, died peacefully at the Hospice House on Tuesday, June 3.

He was the son of George and Susan Norman, who moved from England to Auburn in 1921. He graduated from Edward Little High School in 1940 and enlisted in the 103rd Infantry Regiment of the National Guard. When World War II broke out, his National Guard unit joined the Army and he was sent to the South Pacific, where he served for two years on the front lines. He attended Officers Candidate School in 1944 and he graduated as a second lieutenant. At the end of World War II, the Army assigned him to Yokonawa, Japan, for three years as occupation troops.

Upon returning to the United States in 1947, he was assigned to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., as aide to Gen. Olsen, the chief signal corps officer. In 1950, he was sent to the Korean Combat Zone as adjutant in the Signal Combat Battalion, where he served for two years. In 1952, he was assigned to Pirmasens, Germany, as adjutant at the Army base there. Upon his return in 1957, he was made commanding officer of the Signal Corps Research and Development Lab in Milwaukee, Wis., where he served until his retirement from the Army as a major in 1961.

During his Army service, he earned numerous medals, including the Combat Infantry badge for Guadalcanal and the Northern Solomon Island, the Army Commendation Medal, the United Nations Service Medal and the Bronze Star.

Upon retirement from the Army, Maj. Norman attended the University of Maine at Farmington, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1964. He furthered his studies and earned a Master of Science degree in education.

Gov. John Reed appointed him lieutenant colonel and commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, 103rd Infantry of the Maine State Guard. From 1967 to 1969, he served as director for the American Red Cross at the U.S. Naval base in Norfolk, Va.

He taught in both Lewiston and Auburn schools, and for several years worked in the Department of Education as state supervisor of veterans training, until his retirement in 1981.

He was a member of the Nezinscot Masonic Lodge in Turner for over 38 years; the Scottish Rite Bodies of Lewiston-Auburn, the Kora Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. of Lewiston; the Consestory Scottish Rite Bodies of Portland, the American Legion Post 181 of Litchfield for 15 years; a life member of the Retired Officers Association, Alexandria, Va.; the Litchfield Volunteer Fire Department for 19 years; a Litchfield selectman for eight years and a member of the VFW Post 6859.

After his retirement, he volunteered at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice and the Hospice House.

He is survived by his daughters, Nancy Norman and Virginia Plummer; granddaughters, Sarah Greven and Samantha Bazinet; and his great-granddaughters, Reece Greven and Parker Greven.

He was predeceased by his wife and childhood sweetheart, Dorothy Ray, to whom he was married for 62 years.

We love you John, Dad, Grampa, Grampa Norman and Great-Grampa.

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