Earl Van Norman, 80, of Forks Twp. has joined his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on September 28, 2016. He was born at Betts Hospital in Easton, PA Dec. 30, 1935 to Earl Van Norman Sr. and Myrtle (Seiple) Van Norman Reimers. He attended Centennial and Vanderveer grade schools until his dad joined the Navy and his mother worked at the defense plant at Taylor-Wharton in Easton, at which time he and his younger brother and sister were raised by his maternal grandparents Howard and Edith Seiple.
After attending Taylor and Wolf Junior High School he graduated from Easton High School in 1953 where he lettered in football and was a member of various gymnastic teams and was a member of Easton’s Municipal Beach swimming and diving team in the early ‘50’s.The training he received at Easton’s Vo Tech Dept placed him in good stead to get his first job in engineering as a Draftsman in the Toll and Die Dept. of the Dixie Cup Co. in Easton. Not having the academic qualifications for college he took post graduate courses at Easton High School and Moravian Prep School. After two years of study he applied for and was accepted to study Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester N.Y. Financial difficulties in part because of the flood of 1955 precluded that ambition. He did however, continue his Engineering studies at company sponsored courses, Lafayette College, NCACC, and Middlesex Com. Col. After leaving Dixie Cup he married Lavina Jarrell of Raubsville, PA and had four daughters, Denise, Diane, Donna, and Doris. He joined the Engineering Dept. of Mannesmann-Meer Aktiengesellschaft in Easton which was a German based company. Reluctantly leaving one of the best jobs he ever had, he went to Taylor Wharton, Frank Armitage, Fuller Co., and Western Electric before taking a drafting job for Jersey Central Power & Light Co. in Phillipsburg, N.J. Starting as a draftsman he finished his 37 year career as Engineering Asst. Sr. II. In that time he spent 4 years in the Transmission Survey Crew and his time as Transitman was the other best job he had.
Earl is descended from many generations of outdoorsmen on the Van Norman side. His first fishing memory was with his dad and mother along the banks of the Bushkill Creek at the Penn Pump dam at the age of three. He continued for the rest of his life as an avid fisherman, hunter, and outdoorsman. He was also an avid gun enthusiast, studying, collecting, and building flintlocks. Earl was equally at home in the woodshop. This is where the German side of his skills appeared and gave all the credit to his many instructors over the years starting with his Grandfather Seiple. He had a particular interest in 18th Century Pennsylvanian German furniture. He probably made about 70 to 80 Moravian chairs which the Germans called “brettstuhle”. His interest in old guns and the Pennsylvania German culture led him into being an avid historian. His interest led him and his second wife, the late Mary Ann (Carty) into 18th C. re-enacting with the Northampton Co. Militia (later the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment) and living history at the Benade Haus (old Henry forge) for Jacobsburg State Park. While there he was approached about joining the Jacobsburg Historical Society. He accepted and served on the B.O.D. for the next 37 years including 3 terms as president. He made “emeritus” when he retired and was later recognized by the Pennsylvania Congress with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather to many. Among his survivors are his wife of 10 years: Jacquelyn (Fors); his four daughters: Denise Stephan and her husband, James of Easton, and their children, Jason and Adam; Diane Scheirer and her husband, Jeffrey of Ocean Pines, MD, and their children, Abigail and Jeffrey; Donna Kleintop and her husband, Guy of Burke, VA, and their children, Eliza and Samuel; Doris Lynch and her husband, Donald of Easton, and their children, Olivia, Mary, and Erin; and a brother, Alan of Walnutport. He was predeceased by a sister, Jeanne Tatum.
Services are 11 AM, Tuesday, (Oct. 4) in Grace Bible Fellowship Church, 100 East Beil Ave, Nazareth, PA with visitation 6 to 8:30 PM Monday in the church and 10 to 11 AM Tuesday in the church. Interment is in Northampton Memorial Shrine. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling arrangements.
Memorials may be made to CareNet LV, 2204 Northampton St., Easton, PA 18042. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.
