Norris Norton Northrup, 97, of Dunningville, Michigan, died February 20, 2022. His long productive life reflected his strength of character and quiet determination. Norris was born in Shelby, Michigan, April 7, 1924, to Armand and Enola (Brigham) Northrup. The family moved to a farm in Pearl, Michigan, in 1932. He worked on the farm and participated in 4H and raised 4H calves. He weeded mint in the summer and helped harvest and extract commercial mint oil. Norris attended Pearl School through ninth grade. As a sophomore, he switched to Fennville High School where he played football, baseball and basketball. He graduated from Fennville in 1943. He was drafted in January 1944 and Norris chose to serve in the US Navy. After training in Farragut, Idaho, he was assigned as an electrician to the destroyer USS Tingey DD-539. Norris saw combat in the Pacific theater during World War II. He was honorably discharged May 23, 1946. Norris married Dona Poelakker on June 29, 1946, in Holland, Michigan. They settled in Pearl, and Norris went to work at Chris Craft in Holland, starting Dec. 7, 1946. Daughter Sally was born in April 1947. In 1949, the family moved to a 40-acre farm in Dunningville. Never one to sit still, Norris farmed during the years he worked at Chris Craft. He raised corn, hay, wheat, cows, pigs, chickens and rabbits. In the late 1960s, they built a walk-out ranch home overlooking Sand Creek. Norris split fieldstones by hand to build retaining walls. Those ten acres in Dunningville remained Norris's home for the rest of his life. He had many interests and after retiring from Chris Craft in 1986 Norris continued to pursue gardening, travel and camping, rock collecting and lapidary work, macrame, collecting sap and making maple syrup, raising bees in his apiary and extracting honey. He was a member of the Hamilton Rod and Gun Club and enjoyed hunting and fishing. Perhaps his best-known hobby was woodworking. Many friends and family have pieces of Norris's craftsmanship in their homes today. He was the epitome of the greatest generation. Norris put his wife, his daughter, his family, his faith, his church, his country and his community first. He was the volunteer you could always count on, the man behind the scenes ensuring everything worked, the guy with exactly the right tool for the job. He did it with quiet grace, but always had time for a sly grin or a practical joke with a twinkle in his blue eyes. Norris was a longtime member of the Dunningville Reformed Church. He served as an elder in the consistory, taught catechism and Sunday school and bible study. He was a regular participant in the Ramp Ministry and was involved in helping build the current church building. Norris was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife of 69 years, Dona; son-in-law Gary Beyer; step-granddaughter Nicole Beyer; his brother and sister-in-law, Elwin and Aileen Northrup, and nephew Thomas Northrup. He is survived by his daughter Sally Beyer, step-grandson Chad Beyer (Matthew Cockrum), brother and sister-in-law Doyal and Betty Northrup, nieces and nephews Connie (Bob) Kirk, Ginny (Jim) Cronkhite, Ron (Diane) Northrup and Amy (Steve) Collins and several great-nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at Gorden Funeral Residence, Allegan Chapel, on Friday, February 25, 2022 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A funeral service will be held at Dunningville Reformed Church on Saturday, February 26, 2022 at 11:00 AM. Interment will follow in Brookside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Norris' name may be made to Feeding America West Michigan, 864 W. River Center Drive NE, Comstock Park, MI 49321 (www.feedwm.org); or to Dunningville Reformed Church, 2559 Lincoln Road, Allegan, MI 49010. Service Details. Visitation When: Friday, February 25th, 2022 6:00pm - 8:00pm Location: Gorden Funeral Residence, Allegan Chapel Address: 528 Trowbridge Street Allegan, Michigan 49010 Funeral Service When: Saturday, February 26th, 2022 11:00am Location: Dunningville Reformed Church Address: 2559 LINCOLN RD / M40 N Allegan, Michigan 49010 Interment Saturday, February 26th, 2022 | When: Saturday, February 26th, 2022 Location: Brookside Cemetery, a.k.a., Dunningville Cemetery Address: M40 North out of Allegan, east side of M40 Allegan, MI 49010 Online Memory & Photo Sharing Event Ongoing Online Event About this event In Loving Memory Of Norris Northrup April 7, 1924 - February 20, 2022 Look inside to read what others have shared Family and friends are coming together online to create a special keepsake. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in this book. View Tribute Book