Allen Leslie Norris

1963-2021

Allen Leslie Norris, was born on the first day of spring on March 22nd 1963. As a third child of Steve and Velma Norris in Portales New Mexico. He passed on to his eternal resting place on December 9th, 2021, in Albuquerque New Mexico. He fought a strong battle to regain his health, but it was more than his body could handle. Allen grew up in Clovis NM out in the country down a long red dirt road. The family house had many fruit trees and spaces to ride his horses. He and his brother would ride full gallop at one another and tackle the other from their horse. When Allen was 8 years old, he got his first horse, Sunday. He spent many many hours on his beloved Sunday, many years later she blessed him on his birthday with a filly which he named Mia Domingo.

Allen had a very magical way with horses and could train any horse with a kind and caring touch, not in the traditional manner of breaking a horse. He was a true horse whisperer. During his high school years, he worked at veterinary hospital, where he learned many things and decided to go to college to pursue a veterinary degree. In his youth he also learned to be an electrician by working with his dad, uncles, and grandfather at the family business, Norris Electric, in Clovis NM. He could have easily gained his electrician license, but he didn’t much care to work in hot or tightly enclosed spaces. However, being an electrician was always a part of his life. He was a tenacious man how knew how to dissect any problem and would never quit till the job was done. He was always on call as an electrician at the Dicaperl perlite mine in Socorro NM, where he had been the site manager for the past 22 years.

Following high school, Allen started a job at Fun Valley Family Resort in South Fork Colorado, as a trail rider. He loved the San Luis Valley and decided to pursue a degree at Adam’s state University. In the summer’s he would work at Norris electric to save money and started college in 1983. Upon graduating in May of 1989, with a Bachelor of Science in Analytical Chemistry, he started working for the San Luis Valley regional BLM office testing area water samples. Following this work experience he vowed to never work for a federal agency again, and never did.

In the fall of 1985, while in attendance at Adams State, Allen met Lisa Christensen who would later become his wife on November 16th, 1987. They would go on to raise three children, Sarah Shipley of Holiday Tennessee, Quinton Norris of La Jara Colorado and Yvette Norris or Socorro NM.

He worked for Battle Mountain Gold in San Luis Co as their lead chemist till 1997. He then started working for Dicaperl Perlite Corp at the No Aqua mine until his promotion and transfer to Socorro New Mexico in the fall of 2000, where he has worked and served as the site manager till his death.

He was preceded in death by his father Steven T. Norris, mother Velma L. Norris, and brother Michael S. Norris. He is survived by his sister Karen (Don) Shone of Bastrop Tx, his nieces Madison and Amy Shone of Bastrop Tx, His three children Sarah (Charley) Shipley of Holiday Tennessee, Quinton (Annie) Norris of La Jara Colorado and Yvette Norris or Socorro NM, his 7 grandchildren, granddaughters Zoey Norris, Abigail Norris, Miles Norris and Khalynne Eslick and grandsons Liam Norris, Jamie Norris and Joey Norris, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

A graveside service will be held at the Manassa Cemetery on Tuesday December 14th at 1pm.

Rogers Family Mortuary is in care of the arrangements.  To leave online condolences, words of comfort or remembrances for Allen’s family, please visit www.RogersFunerals.com

El Defensor Chieftain