Genealogy Project – William Normart Sr. My Grandfather

My Grandfather, William Normart was born on July 20, 1910. His father was Onig  Normart. My Grandfather would often tell stories of how when he was only 5 years old that he would go to the firehouse where his dad worked and he would get to slide down the pole to the first floor. When the fire alarm would go off the firemen would light the fire under the steam pumper and then drop the harnesses on the horses and off they would go. His father was the first assistant chief.  in 1917 his dad quit the fire department and bought a ranch in Madera so he actually did have to walk a mile to school! Christmases were very eventful and he recalled his Uncle Armen putting 5 dollar gold pieces inside the walnut shells that would hang on the tree and each child would get one. He went to elementary school at the Fresno Normal school which eventually became Fresno State College. In 1920 his father started taking him to the mountains , Yosemite, Sequoia and Huntington Lake. It would take them a day and a half to get there in the Model T they had (as compared to 1 1/2 hours now). He recalls times that they would have a tough time getting the car up the mountain and would have to push a ways then put a big rock behind the tires so they could rest a bit before they started up again. 4 cylinder Dodges would pass them by often so his dad eventually bought one and solved the car problem.They often camped at Will O’ the Wisp store (which I also remember as a child). He held different jobs as a young man and working at a service station he  joined a fraternity in which he met his future brother in law Mike Avakian. My Grandmother Sevart (Si) Avakian met my grandfather at her brother Mike’s service station where grandpa asked her to a dance. Grandpa would go to plays my grandmother was in with Mike and soon they found themselves seeing each other more often. After a year of courtship they married  November 9th, 1935. Mike Avakian was grandpa’s best man. They went to San Francisco for their honeymoon. My Dad was born October 19th, 1936 and Grandpa was so proud he named him after his name. On May 7, 1942 they had a daughter Linda. Grandpa was learning to become a machinist so he worked 8 hours at one job then another 8 hours learning the trade. He did this until 1944 then having enough money he started his own shop. 6 months later he became the machinist for Sandstorm Mfg. Co. Grandpa would often make his own parts to fix peoples machines. In 1970 the company sold and grandpa retired a few years later. In 1958 My grandmother wanted a cabin at Huntington Lake so they bought a shell of a cabin and the family pitched in and did all the work to get it ready. They travelled the mountains getting various rocks and made a retaining wall and BBQ pit. They travelled Europe,All over the USA and Hawaii. The fondest memories however were from the Cabin at Huntington Lake. Grandpa was a great role model for me, very hard working, and very loyal to my Grandmother. I remember catching my first fish with him and he was so patient in teaching me what he knew. I miss him so much but feel very fortunate to have had him in my life for so long. Grandpa passed away February 2006.

Advertisement