Army Pfc. Cody R. Norris, 20, of Houston, Texas
Pfc Norris was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.,died Nov. 9, 2011 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds caused by enemy small-arms fire.
Pfc Norris graduated from La Porte High School in 2010, where he was in ROTC and was a member of the Color Guard, Rifle Team and was a member of the Military Museum.
Following in his brother's footsteps, Pfc Norris joined the Army in 2010. He won the expert marksman badge during basic training. This was his first deployment.
Family and friends described him as someone who made everyone smile and just being silly. He was bubbly, happy, energetic, light hearted.
"He loved what he was doing," said Pastor Jim Bob Benton, who gave the eulogy at Norris' funeral. "It was like he was made to do what he was doing, and he loved his family, and those two things came together to bring him where he was."
He quoted Norris' own words on his Facebook page: "I love what I do as my job and my dream in life and no one can take that way from me. I am trained by the best, and I will be the best as I can. Wanna do all I can for the ones I love and my country. To keep all of us free!!! Even if it means death."
Pfc Norris enjoyed paintball, deer hunting, playing video games, Hibachi food, and working on his 1952 M37 Army Truck that he had convinced his stepfather to let him buy. He drove it to and from classes.
"It wasn't a fast ride," Benton said. "It took an hour, hour and a half, every day, back and forth," but the slow commute didn't bother Norris.
Pfc Norris briefly returned home from Afghanistan on leave last month to celebrate his 20th birthday with family and friends, but was eager to get back.
Benton said, "He knew he needed to go back. He had buddies he wanted to protect and one of the things he told everybody was, 'Look, I'm not afraid to die.'"
To have known Norris was a gift from God, the pastor said. "That's not something that can be taken away. He's with us. He'll be with us always, forever young."
Pfc Norris' awards and decorations include:
Army Commendation Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars
NATO Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Pfc Norris was laid to rest on November 21 at Grand View Memorial Park, Pasadena, TX. The Patriot Guard escorted.
Pfc Norris is survived by his mother, Terri, and stepfather, Kenneth; father, Reese Norris; brother, Michael Norris,a cadet at West Point; grandparents, Robert and Patricia Vegil, and Geneva Pynes.
Army Pfc. Cody R. Norris was killed in action on 11/09/11.
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