By Mary O’KEEFE

During the night on Monday, Don Norbut passed away in his sleep. Don was 99 years old; his 100th birthday was only four months away. 

Don was a born and raised Angeleno. He moved with his family to La Crescenta decades ago and this is where he and his wife Esther raised their children Gerald and Nancy. 

He was a community member who really cared about the direction of the community and of the country he fought for in WWII. For years he could be found with his wife at every meeting of the Crescenta Valley Town Council. He not only listened at the meeting but would often take notes. 

Don was a brewer for 35 years and worked with many companies including Anheuser-Busch and Pabst Blue Ribbon. 

I met Don and Esther at CVTC when I was just starting as a reporter. They seemed to be at every CV event, often holding hands, laughing and always listening intensely to everything and anything that was said about the community they so loved. Esther was a quilter and donated quilts to Prom Plus to be auctioned off. 

After Esther died in 2015, Don traveled a little less around the CV area. Many of us would meet at his house for one of the best “pizza and beer” days into nights. He always had beer in his fridge – and always had a Guinness for me. My grown kids couldn’t wait for the pizza and beer day; Robin [Goldsworthy] and her family would join as well. And lately even my grandkids would come over for pizza and juice – and a swim in Don’s pool. 

“Don was a consummate host — he always had his door open for a night of pizza and beverage. He always welcomed my family into his home and was a staunch CV Weekly supporter. He’ll be missed for so many reasons,” Goldsworthy said. 

Steve Pierce and his wife Karen were also at many of the pizza and beer days, although Karen and Robin’s beverage of choice was always wine (with ice for Karen). It was one of those things that only seems to happen in communities where we all know each other and actually like being with each other. 

Don had neighbors who made sure he was doing well. They were always checking on him to make sure that, if he needed something, they were there. 

Phil Downs, a longtime CV resident, was often at Don’s home just to hang out and talk – something that made the days go by faster for Don. 

“Don left me a treasure-trove of memorable moments that pack my memory bank and bring smiles to my thoughts as I work through the sorrow of the immediate moment,” said Downs.

Downs remembers his trip with Esther and Don to the Grand Canyon, and a fishing trip he took with Don to Baja, California and, of course, the weekly visits – beer happy hours with Don. 

“I’m very fortunate and thankful for having known, loved and enjoyed Don’s friendship. Those blessings will keep Don with me forever,” Downs said. “Don is out of reach but Don is not gone.”

Steve Pierce and Don described themselves as best friends. They were fellow U.S. Navy veterans. Although wars apart (Pierce in Vietnam and Don in WWII) there was that instant camaraderie that is seen among vets. Their common bond grew into a strong friendship where they would go out to dinner with their wives. They would  have visits, just the two of them, talking about the battles they fought. They could be seen at their weekly visits to Foxy’s in Glendale or, most recently, at Jeremy’s in La Crescenta. 

“Don Norbut was everyone’s friend but he was my best friend. Don and I shared similar backgrounds from where he and I grew up and spent our youth, our similar Navy experiences, June birthdays (three days apart) and chicken fried steak-n-eggs at Jeremy’s for breakfast,” Pierce said. “He taught me how to sop up the extra gravy with the sourdough toast. Don was like the older brother I never had. I’ll forever miss him.”  

I was lucky enough to interview Don about his time in service during WWII. He said that in 1944 the country was drafting kids “right out of high school.” He saw friends being taken out of class and put into the military prior to graduating. He wanted to make sure that didn’t happen to him so he went to the U.S. Navy recruiter and signed up. 

“I made a deal. They could only come and get me after I graduated [from high school] and I would have turned 18,” he said in an earlier interview. “I graduated on Friday, June 16 and, on June 27, they had [their hands on] my shoulder. On June 28 I was at boot camp in San Diego.”

He was trained in Coronado as landing craft personnel. His team was told if they could land the amphibious craft on the beach in Coronado, despite the rough waters there, they could land anywhere. 

“And they were right,” he said. “It was really rough.”

He served in the Pacific theater during WWII and would often share his experiences with us during our pizza and beer days. 

The last time I saw him he was in a convalescent home after falling at home. He had been told that he would probably not be able to walk again, not even with his walker – but, in typical Don style, when I asked him how he was, he said, “I’m fine.”  

We had a great conversation about everything – from his father, who served in WWI, to recent politics. 

His daughter, Nancy, has been ever-present at his side. The family will be creating a formal obituary and will share when his future memorial will be. 

Don is survived by daughter Nancy and her husband Jeff; daughter-in-law Doreen; two grandchildren – Kyle and Sean; nephews Dale and Kurt. He was proceeded in death by his son Gerald (Jerry) and wife Esther.