July 13, 1957 – Jan. 17, 2014

Commander Norbut lost a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer on Jan. 17. He was born in Los Angeles to Donald and Esther Norbut. His younger years were spent in Huntington Park, Calif.

When he was 15, the family moved to La Crescenta where he graduated from Crescenta Valley High School in 1975. While working at Safeway, he earned his bachelor’s degree in business management at California Polytechnic, Pomona. In November 1985, he received his commission in the United States Navy through Officers Candidate School in Newport, R.I. He earned a master of business administration at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. He earned a second master’s degree at Naval War College, Newport, R.I.

His initial sea assignment was aboard the USS Cochrane, home ported in Yokosuka, Japan. There he served as the disbursing and sales officer, and successfully rebuilt the failed S3 Division. He saw duty on the submarine USS Georgia; the cruiser USS Bunker Hill. He also served shore duty at Navy Fuel Detachment, Tsurumi, Japan; Naval Base San Diego, Calif.; Naval Support Facility, Diego Garcia; action officer for the NAVSEA Submarine Directorate in Crystal City, Va.; Military Traffic Management Command, Falls Church, Va.; and Executive Office, Supply Management department head, and Fleet Logistics support department head at the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, Puget Sound, Wash. where he retired.

A highlight of his career was serving with Gen. Tommy Franks during Operation Enduring Freedom at U.S. Central Command’s forward headquarter in Qatar and at USCENTCOM In Tampa, Fla. He served 24 years in the Navy retiring in May 2009.

Since retiring, Jerry had been working for the Navy as a federal employee at Naval Surface Warfare in Panama City Beach, Fla.

In 1990, he married Doreen Tomsick, his high school classmate. Jerry enjoyed woodworking, the outdoors and doing things to help or surprise others. He enjoyed his friends and loved his family. He will be remembered for his great sense of humor, his thoughtfulness and his pride and love for his wife and sons.

Very much loved, Jerry is survived by his wife of 24 years; his sons Kyle, 16, and Sean, 13; his parents Donald and Esther; and his sister and her husband, Nancy and Jeff Hole.

Interment will be at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or to Covenant Hospice.