Most U.S. generals and senior military leaders are buried at Arlington National Cemetery or other national cemeteries across the country. So, how did Maj. Gen. William C. Norris—who was born in New York, was never stationed in this area of the United States and was, in fact, spending his retirement years in Florida—come to be laid to rest in the Redwood Falls State Veterans Cemetery?

The answer is simple. His daughter, Kathleen (Kate) Norris Tucker of Spicer, Minnesota, wanted her father to be closer to her home so the family could visit regularly to recall their special times together.

On Friday, March 28, 2025, the staff at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemeteries - Redwood Falls was honored to lay to rest Maj. Gen. Norris. His family held a private ceremony honoring the General’s remarkable life, one dedicated to his country and his family.

Norris, an Air Force command pilot who completed 100 combat missions in North Korea and 100 combat missions in Vietnam, had a distinguished military career spanning more than 35 years. He earned numerous accolades, awards and commendations for his valor and leadership, including the Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with twelve oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal and Army Commendation Medal.

It was comforting for Kate to know that her father (affectionately nicknamed Papa by his grandkids) would be forever cared for in a Veteran-friendly community, one from which numerous soldiers came to serve in many of our nation’s wars. “He would have loved this beautiful, peaceful setting; the surroundings are reminiscent of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where my mother was born and raised. She passed in 2020. Our plan is to bring her here to join my dad in the near future.”

A Daughter’s Memories

In sharing recollections about her father, Kate talked about the strength of military families and the extraordinary opportunities she and her brother Matthew were given over the years. “My mother was truly my dad’s partner, an amazing military wife; they were married for 68 years. We traveled together all over the world, living in places like England and Germany, meeting people from different backgrounds. The time we spent with our father shaped who my brother and I became. Dad loved the military and encouraged us both to consider making it our career. While it wasn’t the right choice for me, my brother ended up following in his footsteps and serving in the Air Force for seven years.”

Kate is proud of the way her father combined his personal beliefs with his professional training to form the lessons he imparted to those around him. “He was a man of high morals and every day he set an example of how to grow as a person. He was dedicated to his family and devoted to the men who served under him. I was a daddy’s girl and he was my biggest fan, no matter what I did. He taught me focus and discipline (exactly what I needed most) and to work hard to be my best. Generous and supportive, he always made time for what mattered most.”

Like many Veterans, Gen. Norris didn’t talk much about the specifics of his service. But his legacy includes several remarkable stories of flying mastery, exceptional strategic planning and overall bravery in leading his troops during battle, working to protect them from harm’s way while successfully accomplishing their assignments.

On Memorial Day 2025, Kate stood at the Cemetery with a sense of gratitude as she listened to others speak with great respect about her father’s life’s work. “All I wanted to do was yell out loud, “That’s my dad, that’s my dad!”

Chad Bonde, Administrator, Redwood Falls State Veterans Cemetery, noted that serving the end-of-life needs for, and hearing the stories of, all Veterans is a great privilege. “As we were planning Gen. Norris’ ceremony, I remember the themes that kept being repeated: he was a wise, deeply admired, welcoming, inclusive and forward-thinking man,” Bonde said. “He was a member of the ’old guard‘ who helped to shape our military as well as our country’s history. We are honored to have him be a part of this community.”

To learn more about Veterans benefits related to burials and memorials, visit /mdva/memorials/stateveteranscemeteries/index.jspMinnesotaVeteran.org/cemeteries.