NORRIS Family and friends in Washington and Kiwanians statewide are mourning the loss Sunday night of J. Carlton Norris, the immediate past Governor of the Georgia District of Kiwanis International and a local community leader.

A memorial service will be held at the South Alexander Avenue home he shared with his wife, Margaret, at 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon, following a private family memorial.

Norris was found Sunday evening by his wife when she returned from a trip out of town, Washington police said. The amount of blood at the scene gave officers enough concern to have GBI special agents and crime scene specialists examine the Norris family's South Alexander Avenue home for signs of foul play.

After an investigation of the scene and an autopsy Monday morning, the GBI crime lab ruled Monday afternoon that the death was, in fact, an accident. Washington Police said that the report stated that Norris had fallen inside the house by the fireplace, and that no foul play had occurred.

As leader of Georgia's 8,500 Kiwanis Club members, Norris had traveled the state for the past year speaking to clubs about the goals of their organization. A member of the local club since 1995, Norris served as club president, Division VI Lt. Governor, state chairman of New Club Building, and as Governor-elect. He has received the Washington Club's "Outstanding Kiwanian of the Year" award and was designated Distinguished Club President and Distinguished Lt. Governor.

Locally, Norris was noted for his efforts in community leadership, including two runs for mayor of Washington in 2003 and 2007. His community service included directorships of the North Alexander School Association, the Wills Memorial Hospital Foundation, and the Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce. He served as a member of the Washington Historic Preservation Commission and as a director and president of the Washington Little Theater Company.

A native of Warrenton, Georgia, Norris was the son of the late Jake C. Norris and Lura Reese Hill Norris of Warren County. His early education was in Americus, Macon, and Albany, with high school graduation in Thomasville.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from the University of Florida and later did graduate study at The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Norris' 35-year career with Atlantic Richfield Company began in 1959 and he rose through sales promotion to senior management in community and government affairs. Later Norris served as Special Assistant for International Affairs to Atlantic Richfield's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, where he researched, planned and negotiated with industrial and government leaders in Western and Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, The People's Republic of China, Korea, Indonesia and the Middle East.

Regular obituary information is on page 2A of this week's News- Reporter.