Thomas H. Norris ’38

THOMAS NORRIS died peacefully in Princeton Oct. 9, 1994, of an aneurysm, after attending the Brown game. He was known to many of us as "Chesty" because of his indomitable spirit as a lightweight wrestler. He grew up in Princeton, where his father Edwin '03 was editor of PAW. He went to what is now Princeton Country Day School, then to Kent School.

At Princeton, he majored in biology and chemistry, graduating with highest honors. He was on the wrestling team and he roomed with Robert "Smoky" Smich. After getting a Ph.D. at U.C.-Berkeley and working as an instructor, he joined Oregon State Univ. in Corvallis. He retired as professor emeritus in chemistry in 1981.

He had been coping with a number of age-related problems that made him give up skiing. As Bob McCarter relates, Tom sat in a circle at '38's tent at our 56th, along with Armitage, McLeod, Platten, and others, making small talk. It little mattered what was said, it was being there that counted.

His marriage, his daughter, his career, and his lasting and enduring friendships comprised his life. We’ll not forget his valiant march in the P-rade, with two arm-canes doing most of the work.

His wife, Faith, died in 1988. He is survived by daughter Joan Norris Boothe and sister Mrs. James A. Kerr w'32. A fine man has left us.