Kit Carson County, Colorado
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Kit Carson County Pioneers:

Vernon S. and Rubie (Morris)Norris, 6 South 44 West


In 1900 Osborne County, Kansas, Stephen A. Norris born Nov 1854 in Missouri, married 21 years to Mary S. January 1862, Iowa, have Charles Sept 1879, Hollis A. Dec 1883, Vernon S. July 18777, Sarah J. May 1889, Jennie Nov 1892, and Asa Sept 1898, all kids born in Kansas.
(Stephen Alan Norris 1854-1936 # 132208969 and Mary Susan (Fail) Norris 1864-1 938 are buried in Osborne County.

In 1910 Osborne County, Vernon 22 and Rubie A. 20 have five-month old Grace L.

Vernon proved up 307 acres in sections 6 and 7, 6S 44W, and 12, 6S 45W in 1919, and stock-claimed 152 acres in 7 in 1920.
In 1920 Kit Carson County, Vernon 32 and Rubie 30 have Grace L., Rea, Verlin 7, Velma M. 5, and Thain A. 2.
"Thaine A. Norris was born October 30, 1917 to Vernon Stephen Norris and Rubie Alameda Morris Norris. He was born in a sod house on the homestead north of Burlington, Colorado. They were there a few years working so hard to build a productive ranch. Thaine was the fourth child in the family. His sister Grace was the oldest. Then came Verlin and Velma. There were there during World War One and the great flu epidemic. Mother Norris helped a number of the neighbors when they were sick, as well as caring for her own family.
When Thaine was three years old, they moved to a neighboring town where Vernon had traded their homestead, sod house, fruit cellar, and a good well for a grocery store, stocked, and a new car. After a few months, they discovered that the stock in the store wsa not paid for. So in the new car, they took Thaine and his older brother and sisters and moved on. Nadine, his younger sister, was born when Thaine was eight years old.
Vernon Norris had suffered with typhoid fever in the first few years of their marriage and recovered from a broken leg while on the homestead. The family excused his inability to settle down to those problems. They moved around from one job to another in Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. Thaine attended 13 different schools in 12 years.
They came into Natoma, Kansas when Thaine was in the eighth grade. He met me his future wife, Eloise White, that year in school. Natoma is a small town and we associated with the same group of students. Vernon was working for his brother-in-law in his oil well drilling and refining business. We could buy gas for 10ยข a gallon then. Thaine worked at the well site and refinery during vacations and in the summers. He also delivered groceries for the store in town to the farmers. I went with him a few times that summer. "

In 1930 Cheyenne Wyoming, Vernon and Ruby have "Gorlin" 17, Velma 15, Thaine 12, and Nadine 4.
In 1940 Boulder, Vernon has no occupation, 52, with Rubie 50, and Nadine 14, born inNebraska.

Vernon S. Norris 1887-1962 is buried in Boulder "Retired foreman, Grounds and Buildings, University of Colorado at Boulder, # 91871384.
So is Rubie A. (Morris) Norris 1889-1965 # 91871399, and their daughter Velma Marie (Norris) Chipman # 126484076, 1914-2002.

VELMA
Velma M. "Chapman" 1914-2002 # 121764999 and Garnet D. Chapman 1902-1980 are buried in Boulder.
Another FindaGrave, # 126484076 has Velma (Norris) "Chipman" 1914-2002.

VERLIN

Evelyn Mary (Ritzdorf) was born Aug 3, 1916 in Burlington to Toe P. Ritzdorf and Tillie G. Severin, name Poland in 1851, Norris in 1988.
Verlin 1922-1996 # 120101557 and Evelyn R. Norris 1916-2000 are buried in Boulder.

THAINE
In 1973 Thaine A. Norris was appointed to the Colorado Board of Examimners of Water Well and Pumps.

Thaine A. Norris 1917-1996 # 92565031 is also buried in Boulder, with Sibyl 1919-2012.
Thaine Ardelot Norris filed for social security numbers, born October 30, 1917 at urlington.

Thaine Aydelot Norris was a very special man who lived for 78 years from 1917 to 1996. Life began for Thaine on October 30, 1917. He was born in a small sod house on the Colorado prairie. On that day his father, Vernon, was 30 years old and his mother, Rubie, was 27. Thaine was the fourth of five children. He grew up to father five children of his own with his beloved wife Eloise. Their family has since grown to include 16 grand children and 20 great grand children.
As a child Thaine moved many times throughout the states of Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas. He attended 13 different schools between 1st and 12th grade. He graduated from High School in Natoma, Kansas in 1935 during the peak of the Great Depression. A few years later he married his high school sweetheart, Eloise White, on October 2, 1938. They then moved to Boulder, Colorado to start their own family.
Thaine and Eloise moved many times between towns and cities in Colorado, Kansas, and California as they raised their five children. Thaine worked a variety of jobs from lumber, mining, road construction, and carpentry to machining, shipbuilding, and filling station management. In the early 1950's he finally settled on a career that would bring him considerable success--water well drilling. He first partnered with his brother Verlin to form the "Norris Brothers Drilling Co." which soon became a major provider of water wells to customers throughout the Boulder area. Later, Thaine's company was one of the first to master techniques for drilling in the difficult granite of the Rocky Mountains. He eventually formed his own company, "Norris & Sons Drilling Co.", that brought further success as he provided wells to customers throughout the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
Thaine retired in 1983 and enjoyed his retirement years visiting with his large family. He will always be remembered as a kind and generous man, a loving father and husband, a dreamer and an inventor, a man who came from humble beginnings to become the patriarch of a great family. Thaine Aydelot Norris is definitive proof that there is such a thing as the American Dream--and that this dream surely does come true!

Sibyl Eloise Norris was born to William and Kathryn White in Natoma, Kansas on Nov. 29, 1919. She was the eldest daughter with four sisters, Elizabeth, Elaine, Kathleen, Wilma and one brother, Richard.
Eloise was preceded in death, by her parents, sisters Elizabeth and Elaine, husband Thaine A. Norris and daughter-in-law, Judy. Eloise, as she liked to be called, was a very talented woman. She kept the books for Norris & Sons Drilling Co. while raising five rambunctious sons. She was a Realtor and broker for many years in Boulder. She became a Master Bridge player. She loved square dancing, round dancing and won many trophies for ball room dancing.
Thaine and Eloise were proud parents of Terry (Jan),Verlin (Judy), Ken (Joni), Darrel (Jane, Ann) and Daniel (Nan, Ginny). There are 16 Grandkids and spouses, 28 Great Grandkids, & 5 Great, Great Grandkids. Many, many nieces, nephews, and dear family members survive. We celebrated her 90th Birthday at her home at Golden West Retirement, where she lived for many years.
In 2011, she moved to Good Samaritan Society in Estes Park, CO, still playing bridge twice a week, just before her passing on June 20, 2012. A service to acknowledge her life will be held on Saturday, June 30, at 1pm at Darrell Howe Mortuary in Lafayette, CO. Interment and graveside services will follow at Mtn. View Cemetery, Boulder, CO, where she will be placed beside "the love of her life," Thaine.


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