John Drew Norton

It is with deep sadness that the family of John Drew Norton announces his death on May 17, 2018 following a valiant battle with cancer.  John’s heart, strength, resilience and humor in the face of his illness were an inspiration to his family and friends. 

John was born on July 30, 1961 in Greensburg, Kansas to Billy and Grace Norton (Blakely), He was raised in Beaver, Oklahoma and graduated from Beaver High School in 1979.  John attended the University of Oklahoma, graduating in 1990 with a degree in Journalism.  John’s career in TV news began in Amarillo, Texas and took him to Las Vegas, Nevada before he returned to Oklahoma to work for more than a decade at KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City. 

During his TV career, John was named California’s Associated Press photographer of the year, received several other AP awards, was honored by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters and was nominated for nine Emmy Awards.  In 2014 John joined the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department and worked as a Videographer/Editor on the Discover Oklahoma TV show.

As well as making it a career, John enjoyed photography as a hobby, along with hiking, mountain biking, snow skiing, working out, gardening and attending the opera.

John will be lovingly remembered by his husband Danny Morton, by his brothers Brian, Kevin and Steven, by sisters-in-law Sherri, Sheila, and Niki and by his nephews Rusty, Micah, William and Seth.  The dear friends he chose to travel with, to vacation with and to spend his holidays with will also passionately remember John. 

There will be no services.  John’s ashes will be spread at a beloved hiking spot where he enjoyed fellowship with nature, with friends, with family and with his dearly loved dogs.

Those who desire may make memorial donations to The Bella Foundation, to The American Cancer Society, or to Teen emPower Inc.