Timothy Menno Norg, of Kalamazoo, passed away suddenly on August 14, 2021, at the age of 54. He was preceded in death by his father, George Frederick Norg. Timothy is survived by his only son Brandon Norg, his mother Patricia Norg and her husband Richard Bach, brothers Todd Norg, George Norg and his wife Stephanie, sister Shelly Pastor and her husband Gregory, along with nieces and nephews. Tim's passing has been difficult for his family and friends, but rather than dwelling on that, they will choose to remember his smile, his laugh and his bright blue eyes. They will also remember his struggles because that was part of who he was. "Timmy" as some called him, loved to laugh and tell stories because he had a strong desire to connect to people. Among those with whom he maintained his closest connections were Patricia and Richard. They and their home provided a safe haven for him. Respite often took the form of a raucous game of poker with Patricia, Richard, Tim and Todd sitting around the dining room table. There was no shortage of off-color language, joke telling, or smiles during these games. There was true camaraderie among them. Tim was very close with his mother and called her almost every day to check on her. He made sure that he never missed telling her and others he "loved them" as his standard salutation. He meant it…that was one of his most endearing traits. Tim was proud of his family and proud to be from the "south side" as he liked to tell people. He had a bit of a hard exterior, but also a tender heart. Patricia could attest to that.

Unbeknownst to many, Tim loved to draw, paint, and build. He dabbled in playing the guitar and loved to fish. At one point, he had a prolific garden full of the hottest peppers he could grow. He never shied away from eating spicy foods (a trait he and Brandon share) and he could cook! He was a very skilled welder and machinist by training. It was his eye for detail that really made him good at his trade. Tim was charming, well-liked and genuinely loved being part of a team and was most confident when he was part of one. Shelly recalled when she and Tim were "three-legged" race champions as kids. It took practice and teamwork... "one-two, one-two, one-two" they would count as they ran along the course. Tim helped Shelly do things around her restaurants, and felt much gratification from his work. He was a creative thinker, had great problem-solving skills and naturally wanted to take command in most situations. Tim genuinely desired to contribute and to be acknowledged for his strengths, of which he had many.

His son Brandon said that the hardest part for him will be, "not being able to pick up the phone to just talk about his day" with his dad because no matter how mundane or exciting the topic of conversation, Tim would be his champion. Brandon said he could call anytime of the day, and he knew his dad would answer. A frequent pastime of late was watching "how to" videos on catching giant catfish and would share what he learned. He started journaling, and it appears that Tim enjoyed writing as well. Those who knew him well, knew that "Timmy" had aspirations. Timmy had hope. Timmy had life-long friendships. He had his brothers Todd & George in his corner…always. That says something about him. There is sadness surrounding Tim's passing but his family seeks to replace it with happiness. There are many attributes which will be remembered and his family would like to invite others to join them to share their memories of Tim on Sunday, September 19, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the VFW post 827 on Portage Road for a celebration of life in honor of Tim. Lunch will be provided.