William Archibald “Archie” Norton died on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at his home in Madison, Mississippi. He was 86.
Born March 26, 1934 in Decatur Alabama, he was the son of the late William R. and Catherine Moore Norton. He honorably served his country in the United States Army Special Forces and continued with the Army Reserves.
Archie grew up in Florence, Alabama and attended the University of Alabama where he met his darlin’ Sandy. He obtained a part-time summer job in consumer finance and found his niche, ultimately resulting in Director of Operations for the southeastern part of the country. In 1979 he and his partners decided to open their own business which was in operation for just under 40 years. He was highly respected in the consumer finance industry and served as president of the Mississippi Consumer Finance Association.
Archie had a special way about him that made others feel loved and appreciated. He was mischievous, yet thoughtful; clever, logical, traditional and hesitant to change—and oh, what a sense of humor! He was a prankster, but an honorable one. No one would argue that he was a lovable curmudgeon. His gentle and compassionate nature will be remembered.
He loved his family beyond measure—each of them brought him abundant joy and pride. Those who knew him weren’t surprised when he drove his golf cart in Highlands and turned on the Alabama fight song — he knew Bama football statistics better than most.
Archie was a lifelong Episcopalian. He was a member of St. Andrew’s Cathedral for over 50 years and also the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in Highlands, North Carolina, where he and Sandy resided for six months out of every year. Highlands truly held a very special place in his heart.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sandra Lee Smith Norton, of Madison; daughter, Catherine Sisson (Bill), of Mobile; son, William A. “Will” Norton, Jr. (Amy), of Nashville; grandchildren, Brown Sisson, Daniel Sisson, Will Norton III, and Kathleen Norton; nephew, Mike Norton (Jackie), of Huntsville, AL; and a host of other relatives and many friends.
The family will gather for a memorial service at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Jackson. The service will be streamed live at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, February 26th by visiting the Facebook page of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, 520 Main Street, Highlands, NC 28741 or to St. Andrew’s Cathedral, 305 E. Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39201, or to a favorite charity.
