Norris Ray Gabriel, Sr., 91, departed this earth to join the heavenly trumpeters Jan. 24, 2015. He is reunited with his wife, Earlene, his parents and siblings that preceded. Born and raised in Memphis, TN., when Norris was four he and his older brothers helped to support their depression era family after the death of their father. He attended Peabody Elementary School. He left school at age 15 to enlist in the Army during WWII with Battery B, 115th Field Artillery where he played reveille each morning and was dubbed "the boogie-woogie bugle boy of Battery B." He was twice awarded the Bronze Star.
After the war he married his sweetheart, Earlene Wright on Nov. 30, 1945 in Memphis, graduated from Tech High School and earned a B.S. in engineering from Clemson University in 1951. He was a professional engineer, who designed many different Memphis buildings, including Aldersgate UMC and Summer Drive In Theater. He taught in the Herff College of Engineering as a professor of engineering technologies at Memphis State University. He was a member of the National Honor Society for the engineering technologies, PSI ALPHA CHAPTER, Memphis State University.
Norris and his wife were charter members of Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
He is survived by a daughter, Ann (Richard) Perry, sons: Norris Jr., Brad (Linda) Gabriel, Gene (Becky) Gabriel, nine grandchildren, three great grandchildren and a host of loving nieces, nephews, and friends.
Biloxi Daily Herald: Wednesday, September 17, 1941 - Page 7
Gabriel blows his horn every morning for soldiers of Battery B, 115th Field Artillery, Fort Jackson, S. C. (above). An angel isn't the Army word for him when he sounds reveille at 5:30 a. m. He's Private Norris R. Gabriel, ex-trumpet player of Memphis, Tenn., and known throughout the battery as "the boogie-woogie bugle boy of Battery B."
After the war he married his sweetheart, Earlene Wright on Nov. 30, 1945 in Memphis, graduated from Tech High School and earned a B.S. in engineering from Clemson University in 1951. He was a professional engineer, who designed many different Memphis buildings, including Aldersgate UMC and Summer Drive In Theater. He taught in the Herff College of Engineering as a professor of engineering technologies at Memphis State University. He was a member of the National Honor Society for the engineering technologies, PSI ALPHA CHAPTER, Memphis State University.
Norris and his wife were charter members of Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
He is survived by a daughter, Ann (Richard) Perry, sons: Norris Jr., Brad (Linda) Gabriel, Gene (Becky) Gabriel, nine grandchildren, three great grandchildren and a host of loving nieces, nephews, and friends.
Biloxi Daily Herald: Wednesday, September 17, 1941 - Page 7
Gabriel blows his horn every morning for soldiers of Battery B, 115th Field Artillery, Fort Jackson, S. C. (above). An angel isn't the Army word for him when he sounds reveille at 5:30 a. m. He's Private Norris R. Gabriel, ex-trumpet player of Memphis, Tenn., and known throughout the battery as "the boogie-woogie bugle boy of Battery B."
Norris Ray Gabriel, Sr., 91, departed this earth to join the heavenly trumpeters Jan. 24, 2015. He is reunited with his wife, Earlene, his parents and siblings that preceded. Born and raised in Memphis, TN., when Norris was four he and his older brothers helped to support their depression era family after the death of their father. He attended Peabody Elementary School. He left school at age 15 to enlist in the Army during WWII with Battery B, 115th Field Artillery where he played reveille each morning and was dubbed "the boogie-woogie bugle boy of Battery B." He was twice awarded the Bronze Star.
After the war he married his sweetheart, Earlene Wright on Nov. 30, 1945 in Memphis, graduated from Tech High School and earned a B.S. in engineering from Clemson University in 1951. He was a professional engineer, who designed many different Memphis buildings, including Aldersgate UMC and Summer Drive In Theater. He taught in the Herff College of Engineering as a professor of engineering technologies at Memphis State University. He was a member of the National Honor Society for the engineering technologies, PSI ALPHA CHAPTER, Memphis State University.
Norris and his wife were charter members of Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
He is survived by a daughter, Ann (Richard) Perry, sons: Norris Jr., Brad (Linda) Gabriel, Gene (Becky) Gabriel, nine grandchildren, three great grandchildren and a host of loving nieces, nephews, and friends.
Biloxi Daily Herald: Wednesday, September 17, 1941 - Page 7
Gabriel blows his horn every morning for soldiers of Battery B, 115th Field Artillery, Fort Jackson, S. C. (above). An angel isn't the Army word for him when he sounds reveille at 5:30 a. m. He's Private Norris R. Gabriel, ex-trumpet player of Memphis, Tenn., and known throughout the battery as "the boogie-woogie bugle boy of Battery B."
After the war he married his sweetheart, Earlene Wright on Nov. 30, 1945 in Memphis, graduated from Tech High School and earned a B.S. in engineering from Clemson University in 1951. He was a professional engineer, who designed many different Memphis buildings, including Aldersgate UMC and Summer Drive In Theater. He taught in the Herff College of Engineering as a professor of engineering technologies at Memphis State University. He was a member of the National Honor Society for the engineering technologies, PSI ALPHA CHAPTER, Memphis State University.
Norris and his wife were charter members of Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
He is survived by a daughter, Ann (Richard) Perry, sons: Norris Jr., Brad (Linda) Gabriel, Gene (Becky) Gabriel, nine grandchildren, three great grandchildren and a host of loving nieces, nephews, and friends.
Biloxi Daily Herald: Wednesday, September 17, 1941 - Page 7
Gabriel blows his horn every morning for soldiers of Battery B, 115th Field Artillery, Fort Jackson, S. C. (above). An angel isn't the Army word for him when he sounds reveille at 5:30 a. m. He's Private Norris R. Gabriel, ex-trumpet player of Memphis, Tenn., and known throughout the battery as "the boogie-woogie bugle boy of Battery B."
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