Dellora A. Norris

Dellora Angell Norris, (December 23, 1902 - December 28, 1979) was an American philanthropist and heir to the Texaco fortune. She donated large amounts of land and funds to benefit her hometown of St. Charles, Illinois.

Dellora A. Norris
Born23 December 1902
St. Charles, Illinois
Died28 December 1979
OccupationPhilanthropist
Spouse(s)Lester J. Norris (m. 1923)
Children5

Inheritance

As one of two remaining heirs, Norris, inherited the estate of John Warne Gates, husband of her mother's sister, Dellora Baker (Gates). Upon Gates's death in 1911, his fortune was left to his widow, Dellora, and son, Charlie. Charlie Gates died in 1913; Dellora Baker Gates died in 1918 willing her fortune to her brother, Col. Edward Baker and niece Dellora (Norris).[1] Norris and her uncle Col. Baker both became generous benefactors to St. Charles where many buildings and landmarks were built from their contributions; such as the Hotel Baker and the Arcada Theatre.[2]

Philanthropy

Norris married commercial artist and Chicago Tribune cartoonist Lester J. Norris in 1923. They formed St. Charles Charites (now the Dellora A. and Lester J. Norris Foundation) in 1924[3] and funded multiple civic improvements throughout their lives including; The Dellora A. Norris Cultural Arts Center, The John B. Norris Recreation Center, the original Delnor Hospital, St. Charles High School, and the St. Charles Municipal Building. A statue of Norris's likeness was placed in the plaza in front of the St. Charles Municipal Building[4] to honor her contributions to the city of St. Charles as a part of the Gratitude Project.

Life in St. Charles

Norris had five children: Lavern (Gaynor), Lester, Joann (Collins), Robert, and John.[5] Although primarily a homemaker, Norris had an early interest in nursing as a career. She chaired the Nursing Aide Corp. in St. Charles, a group of women in the 1940s who assumed nursing duties at Delnor Hospital during World War II. An American Red Cross report for the Fox River Chapter showed 59 nurse’s aides assigned to Delnor Hospital in August, 1945.[6]

References
  1. "Estate totals millions". Daily Courier-News., Friday. June 20, 1980.
  2. "City Mourns Dellora A. Norris: Community Benefactor, 77, dies". The St. Charles Chronicle. January 1, 1980.
  3. Tucker, Ernest H.; Pearson, Ruth Seen (December 1979). "Philanthropist Dellora Norris dead". Elgin Daily Courier News.
  4. "100 Years After Suffrage, A Look Back at Some of the Women Who Shaped St. Charles". St. Charles History Museum. Retrieved 2021-11-17.
  5. Tennison, Patricia (January 13, 1980). "An heiress' final gifts: A stroke of the pen made, erased fortunes as her will was revised". Suburban Tribune: Fox Valley.
  6. Pearson, Ruth S. (September 11, 1974). "Clubwomen and homemakers assume duties at Delnor when nurses go to war". St. Charles Chronicle.
  • Gaynor, Lavern Norris. Lal: a Legacy of Gracious Giving. 2008. Memoir Shoppe, Hodge University.
  • Pearson, Ruth Seen. Reflections of St. Charles; an Abridged History. 1976, 2019. St. Charles History Museum. ISBN 9781706981459
  • Spirou, Costas. St. Charles: Culture and Leisure in an All-American Town. 2005. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738534064
  • Szymczak, Patricia M. (January 15, 1989). "The Legacy". Chicago Tribune.
  • Wendt, Lloyd; Kogan, Herman (1948). Bet a million! The story of John W. Gates. Bobbs-Merrill. hdl:2027/mdp.39015002974452.
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