Norman James Morrison Jr.

Norman James Morrison, 80, a retired director of advertising for Malden Evening News, where he worked for 45 years, died suddenly Thursday, December 14, 2000 at Lahey Clinic Northshore in Peabody, Massachusetts. Norman was raised and educated in Barre, Vermont. After High School, he attended Brown Univerity, where he graduated in 1941 with Honors in English. He fluently wrote and spoke in several languages. The following year, he enlisted in the US Air Force, and fought in WWII. During his enlistment, he married his wife Betty Jo in 1944, with whom he shared the next 57 years. In July of 1945, the B25 Bomber he was a navigator on was shot down over Germany, and though he and 7 other crew members survived the crash, he was captured and held prisoners by the Germans. He was held prisoner in 3 different camps in the year he was a POW, until the Russian Army arrived and liberated Norman from the POW camp. He served the next 18 years in the Air Force Reserves, with a short active stint in the Korean Conflict. Upon returning to the States, he moved from Vermont to the Boston Area, and went to work for the Malden Evening News. He became the Director of Advertising, he remained there until his retirement in 1997. Although he had retired, he resumed working right away, first at the Salem Evening News, and then for the Woburn Times, where he was still employed.  His pasttimes included collecting and reading old books, and drawing and sketching.  

While in Malden, He became active n the community, and was a former member of the Malden Masonic Lodge, and a former member of the Malden VFW Post 639. He also remained an active member on the Malden Kiwanis, where he has been a member since 1962. Mr. Morrison lived in Peabody for the past 25 years and had previously lived in Melrose for about 16 years.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Jo (Hicks) Morrison , his son Norman J. Morrison III, and his wife Maureen of Brentwood, NH, and his grandchildren Norman J. IV of Waltham, Rachael Morrison of Seattle, WA, Bonnie Wolfe of Kingston, NH, and Seth Wolfe of Brentwood, NH.

He was born March 09, 1920 in Boston, Massachusetts the son of the late Norman and Charlotte (Crow) Morrison. He served in the Air Force during World War II having attained the rank of Captain. enlisted on October 1942 discharged on April 20, 1962

Visitation will be held at Weir MacCuish Funeral Home on Monday from 2-4 PM and 7-9 PM

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 19th, at 10:00 AM at The First Church in Malden, Congregation 184 Pleasant Street, with the Rev. Randall P. Ferrara officiating. Cremation will follow at Woodlawn Crematory in Everett.

Donations in Normans memory may be made to the WWII Memorial Fund-GR048 , PO Box 96074, Washington DC 20090-6074