Nortz had positive impact on lives and society

Bob Nortz. Saying his name makes me smile. A visit with him brought on an instant feeling of happiness and good will. To say Bob was a "people person" would be an understatement. He truly loved people and their life stories. If he didn't know you, he knew your parents, your grandparents or your neighbor.

Our last conversation was about my aunt who had passed. Bob had surely not spoken with her in decades. Without pause and to my amazement, he said, "She was married to Roger Shepard; didn't they used to live on that farm on Route 12 just outside Lyons Falls?" They had lived on that farm ... but not since they sold it in 1967. You cannot fake that kind of sincerity and memory of people.

Bob. He was just that. The first day I went to work for him as assemblyman, I addressed him as Mr. Nortz. He quickly reminded me that his father had been Mr. Nortz. He was the unpretentious guy who loved to commiserate with me about our Lewis County roots. He would often say to me, "Jer, you can take the boy out of Lewis County but you can never take Lewis County out of the boy."

Bob was not loved because of the public position he held; he was loved because of the positive impact he had upon people's lives and society. It is an honor and privilege to say that I knew Bob Nortz.

I hope his legacy of kindness and friendship will serve as comfort to Beverly, Nick, Scott, and Bradley.

Jerry O. Eaton

Watertown