Norm Welsh was born in Ottawa on November 16, 1936. He enjoyed bird watching, raising German Shepherds and dog training; as well as politics, literature, reading, accounting and playing guitar, but he especially loved the time he spent with his family. An old photo shows a young boy of about 10 years old dressed in much too large fire gear standing in front of an old fire truck. This young man was Norman Welsh in his native Ottawa at the local Fire Station. He said back then he wanted to be a policeman, or a fireman, or a garbage collector or God. That dream became a reality in Sussex in March of 1975. When Norm became a member of the Sussex Volunteer Fire Department. He had moved to Sussex a year earlier to become an accountant at the Barbours Food Plant. Norm steadily rose up through the ranks to become a Captain and training officer for the Department. He held that position for a number of years until 2002, when he was elected Fire Chief to replace Bev Manning by a group of his peers. The volunteer fire department operates from a steady base of 40 men, and the occasional woman. On a team such as a firefighting squad, the tightness is such that standing alone is never an option, and a comfort Norm always enjoyed. When Norm began, becoming a firefighter was an honor people would stand in line for. It's the chief's job to be the liaison between town council and the department, as well to manage the fire grounds and perform administrative tasks. During Norm's time as chief he implemented monthly officers' meetings and developed a stricter regime for record keeping. On the night of December 12, 2005 Norm commanded the scene of the largest fire during his time as Chief. Norm made the tough choice to sacrifice the older commercial building on Main Street in the downtown core in the interest of the safety of his firefighters. It was after this night that Norm's failing health forced him to ponder his future. He feared what he was doing to himself and the men under his command. Chief Welsh soldiered on hoping his health would improve, but it didn't. Suffering from COPD and congestive heart failure, Norman announced in late August he would retire in October 2007 as Chief to allow time for members to choose a new chief. Even though Norm wished that he didn't need to retire he said that he believed he was leaving the department in capable hands. Excluding family time, Norm always said his fondest memories, were those spent in the fire hall. There was a big chunk of his life spent there, more time was spent there than at his workplace and home. He was also very proud to say that despite calls to what he estimated to have been a "couple thousand" fires, rescues and motor vehicle accidents over the years, he was never injured on the job. Norm was very proud of his community and his fellow firefighters. He loved his family and enjoyed all the time spent with them. He will be greatly missed. He will live on in the hearts of his wife Carole Mineault, children, Tracy Frappier and her husband Al of Ottawa, Gordon Welsh of Ottawa, Rob Welsh and Chelsie Nightingale of Fredericton; his step son Drew Mineault of Toronto, three brothers: Gilbert Welsh and his wife Pat, William Welsh and his wife Bev, and Gordon Welsh all of Ontario, his grandson Justin, as well as several nieces and nephews; Norm was predeceased by his only sister Miriam VanHusen who passed earlier this summer. Mr. Norman Richard Welsh of 4 Oxford Street Sussex passed away at the Sussex Health Centre on July 18, 2010 at the age of 73.