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75-year member of the Lena Legion recognized VOL. 88 • NO. 23
By Julia Moore Recently it came to my attention that Norman D. Harris of Warren had attained 75 years as a member of The American Legion in Lena. Being from Lena, I knew Norm and Bonnie. In fact, I was in her very first class upon graduating from college. I have seen them several times in recent years as my grandson and their grandson Cole were in the same class. We saw each other many times at ball games and school events. I reached out to his wife Bonnie and was invited to their home to talk to Norm about his experience. Norm was drafted when he graduated from Lena High School. He entered into a stevedore unit of the Navy Seabees. His time in boot camp was spent at Camp Peary in Williamsburg, VA. Since 1951, Camp Peary has been
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Rock Valley Publishing
Rock Valley Publishing
Norman D. Harris celeHarris was drafted right brated 75 years of mem- after graduating high bership with the Lena school when he joined the American Legion. Navy Seabees. He served in Tinian and Okinawa and a CIA training facility known became a member of the as The Farm. Currently the American Legion upon reonly boot camp for the Navy turning home.
is the Great Lakes facility in training after which he was North Chicago. After boot camp, he was sent to Hawaii for six months sent to California for basic for additional training. Final-
SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing
Honor Roll award winners
Pearl City Junior High students are celebrating making the honor roll this year. First row seated are students on the highest honor roll, kneeling are students on the high honor roll, and standing are the honor roll students.
ly, his destinations were Tinian and Okinawa. The Tinian base was a B29 base with four airships; while there he helped unload bombs which were targeted for Tokyo, Japan. While stationed in Okinawa, they unloaded from PT boats in the water. After WWII ended, he was discharged from the Great Lakes Naval Base in North Chicago. While Norm still lived in Lena, he was active in The American Legion, having served as Commander and even held a state office in the 40/8 as the Sous Grand Conducteur in 1954. The 40/8 was an arm of The American Legion and members had to be invited to join. When asked why he joined The American Legion, he stated that it was the thing to do. You were discharged, went home, and joined. After returning home to
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Lena, he began working as a carpenter for Fred Meeker. Later, Norm and Fred’s son, Harold, worked together and established Lena Builders. When the business expanded into producing home components in Eleroy, Norm decided to operate his own building business, ranging from barns to homes. He specialized as a finishing carpenter. From here, he ventured into selling Ridge Homes and Wick Homes. The selling of the Wick homes resulted in a move to Warren in 1975, to cover the JoDaviess County area. While in Warren, Norm was an EMT for 20 years and for 12 years he taught Industrial Arts in Orangeville on a Vocational certificate. He had to attend classes at Highland Community College in order to receive this certificate. Norm’s many talents include painting. His artistic
talent that he had from his very early childhood has continued with him. At the age of almost 97, he still paints on a regular basis. He has painted in acrylic, watercolors, charcoal and oil works. Some of the 270 paintings he has done are hanging throughout their beautiful home nestled in a corner of Warren by a cornfield. Of course, this was one of his Wick homes that he helped build. He also has a display of pictures in the Bren Franklin Custom Framing shop in Eleroy. Each of the pictures are in frames all made by Norm. His talents do not stop there, as he has furniture that he has reupholstered and stained-glass pieces he has made. Most people starting with stained glass classes start with something very simple and small, but this was not so in the case of Norm. His first stained glass piece was the sidelight by the front door of their home. Norm has one son and daughter living and a son who is deceased. He was privileged to walk his granddaughter down the aisle at her wedding five years ago. As Bonnie showed me through their beautiful home, I could tell she was Norm’s biggest fan. Thank you, Norm, for your service to our country and your continued service as a member of The American Legion. It was an honor to sit down and talk to you about your lifetime. I was also blessed with Norm and Bonnie giving me one of his beautiful paintings.
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