Dan L. Norton, age 61, of Spencer died Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at Lodi Hospital. Born in Oberlin on August 27, 1946, Dan was the son of the late Harold and Dorothy (Shipman) Norton. Dan was a 1964 graduate of Wellington High School and he earned his Associates Degree from the University of Virginia. Dan served as an officer for the Ohio State Highway Patrol for ten years. He also worked at the Medina County Sheriff's Department for 15 years and was the chief deputy. Dan was a bomb technician for Medina County and he trained the first FBI dog, Apollo, his partner of eight years, to search for explosives and missing persons. He was the instructor for the Medina County Canine Unit and was a firearms expert who taught firearms instruction at the Medina County JVS. Dan was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Lodi. He loved his farm and deeply enjoyed spending time with his kids and grandkids. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Norton of 43 years; 3 children, Jamie Norton of TX, Jodi (Scott) Steiskal of Nova, and Peggy (Dan) Kunsman of Sullivan; and eight grandchildren, Amanda (Jimmy Kurtz) Norton, Danielle Norton, Taylor (Don Wertz) Norton, Randi (Jason) Miller, Dusty Steiskal, Bobby Steiskal, Zoe Kunsman, and Mya Kunsman. Dan is also survived by two sisters, Peggy Reed and Joan Whitney, and a brother, Harold Norton, all of Wellington. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Robert and William Norton and a sister, Dorothy Sutliff. A private family burial will be held at Greenwood Cemetery, Wellington. In lieu of flowers, donations made to the family who will choose a charity, in care of Norton-Eastman Funeral Home, 370 S. Main St., Wellington, Ohio 44090.