Norman Bruce Stevenson - Online Memorial Website

I'im not sure why today is hitting me harder than usual. He would have been 84 today. Possibly because of all that's been going on with the pandemic, and the wall I'm hitting regarding that.

I still miss him and Mom so much. For all that, I'm glad they didn't have to deal with this last year. I hope his memory blesses those of you who think of him.

I didn't get much verbal advice from Daddy but I got a lot of demonstrations of how to live.  I never doubted for a moment that he loved us intensely, for instance. Not because of how often he said it, but because everything he did showed it.  He came to all our events (sports for my brother, performances for me) when he possibly could.  He was always just... there.  He did things around the house, and not just "man things". He cooked, cleaned, shopped, all alongside Mom.  I never heard the idea of "man's work/women's work" around the house.  It was all just "house chores".  He and Mom seemed like real partners in life to me.  I like to think that's a lesson I brought to my own marriage.

Still missing both my parents and wishing I'd had more time with them. 

A friend of mine died recently, very suddenly, and very young. And it's got me thinking about Daddy again.  *sigh*  I'm still sad all day on the anniversary of his death. I'll be feeling down and think "why am I so SAD?" then all the sudden "OH YEAH". 

It's been five years and his birthday is approaching.  I still haven't taken the reminder of his birthday out of my calendar.

I think Daddy would be disappointed at how things have gone in the the political world.  He would be incensed by so much of what goes on in DC.

I still just miss talking to him every day, though there are a lot of days that go by where I don't think about him because life pushes things aside like that, so we can get on with it all.

Still, wishing I could make you another German Chocolate Cake, Daddy.  I wish you were still here with us.

Just wanted to thank everyone who remembers Daddy and puts a candle up on the anniversary of his death.  I miss him all the time, and I wish he were still with us.  It's comforting to know I'm not alone in that feeling.

I was just recently reminded about the time Daddy won an Ernest Hemingway look alike contest.  I have no idea when it was, but it was sometime in the early 1980s.  I have the poster/photo of Hemingway that he won from it. :)

It's a year ago today that you left us to be with the love of your life..

Not a day goes by that I don't think of you and smile.

We never met in person,we did speak on the phone when you were in the hospital.

Of course we always had AnyThingGoes in Word Whomp..What a great room this was..We could always count on you to know what a word meant and those puns...How we all miss those.The room just hasn't been the same with out you..

You my friend ...you were the gentleman(A man who is honorable,polite,and considerate of others) of AnyThingGoes...

Norm(ELPH) YOU ARE TRULY MISSED...

It's been a year today since Daddy died.  I still miss him every single day.  I have photos of him and Mom up on my desk, and there are jillions of things that wander through my head that I wish could ask either of them about.

These tough economic times remind of when we were just kids, in the 70s, and Daddy was always being laid off because he was the most recent hire and the RV industry was always shaky because of gas prices.  He always told me "You should only be as loyal to the company as the company is loyal to you."  I've held that close and shared it with many people through the years, and it still holds very true.

I miss you, Daddy.

Norm, and I and my husband, Bill, were classmates in high school in Butler, Indiana.  It was a small high school (our 1955 graduating class totaled 55 students) and we all seemed to be active in the same clubs and classes.  Those of us in the college prep program took geometry in our sophomore or junior year.   Norm and Tom McConnell were always thinking up ways to confound the teachers.  One day they brought in diagrams and data about a "spirallagram", I'm not sure of the spelling.  The teacher (who shall remain nameless) knew all about it and encouraged Norm and Tom to discuss its properties and give the class a full lecture on how to and when to use this unusual figure.  The spirallagram looked like a bed-spring and could do many seemingly impossible things.  Of course, the whole thing was made up by those two wiseguys.  We had a very interesting lesson and were told after class that it was all made up by the two of them.  Don't think the teacher ever knew the truth and it was one more triumph for Norm and Tom. 

       Bill has other fond memories of Norm and their escapades on his family farm.   Bill went on to become a college professor, and emiment scholar at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.  He exchanged email with Norm sharing many new and interesting things.  Sometimes we suspected that the more spectacular objects they discussed were in the same category as the spirallogram.

 Mr. Norm, as I usually called him, Elph or Huck in casual play, was all that and a bag of chips!  He thought that to be the funniest thing anyone ever said about him.  I think it was perfect..

 

In High School he was a bright- good looking -straight A- athletic, adventuresome lad and was blessed to have a sidekick made up of the same fiber.  Not until our junior year did we truly understand the relationship between the two. Norm was cast as Huckleberry Finn and Tom McConnell was cast as Tom Sawyer.  The two of them were magical in their performances and Norm looked as if Huck had just stepped from the pages of the ageless novel.  Norm and Tom never did live down their adventuresome way. There were many shenanigans that these two pulled, which were never exposed because of their student status Tom was Class President. with Norm being a class officer two of the four years, and with both being A students - heaven forbid the student body would find out about their pranks.  I now know only because Norm finally shared some of his secrets with me.  How fun.

 

With our 50^th class reunion on the horizon I finally talked Norm into confessing that it was he and Tom who had climbed the town water tower, in the dead of the night, and placed the “55” flag on the top.  I designed a card with the water tower on the front and Norm’s picture inside with – “YEP Tom and I did it-and we weren’t even scared until I dropped my flashlight half way through the climb”.  I was amazed how many people didn’t know exactly who had done it. No one knows how many times those two had climbed that tower, which had been condemned 5 years earlier – but I do –another one of his secrets. There had never been a question in my mind who had done it – Tom & Huck were at it again. 50 years was a long time to keep that secret.

 

Norm never was really interested in the girls- he preferred his adventures, studies and science projects but when a date was called for he always arrived with a charmer on his arm. You silly girls, as he called us inevitably would tilt his game of Pin Ball and he would of course become pretty upset with us. Norm was an excellent player and took his game very serious.  Little did he know that a few times we tilted the game on purpose just so he would pay attention to us. 

  

Upon graduation our paths went in different directions and not until New Years Eve 1999 did we make contact again. I dove into cyber space in search of my one and only snipe hunting partner, who got into big trouble, because of the creosote on the back of his jacket, which never came out, created from leaning on the railroad ties stacked along the track.   My email was sketchy but Norm knew exactly that it was he I was talking to. By the way we only went snipe hunting once in our freshmen year– just two green kids in Butler Indiana not knowing what we were doing but strangely enough both of us remembered the hunt 50 years later and we had some good laughs about it. Contact was made and the renewed relationship enriched our lives.  Nan was very ill but I grew to know her through the softness of his words when he spoke of her.  She must have been quite a gal for his love to be so steadfast. I wish I could have known her personally.

 

Norm shared many stories with me the last few years, He challenged me with words which made me scramble for the dictionary. and I thanked him for that.  As I always told him, after all while he was working on those straight A’s I was surviving the social world in high school.  He would just laugh and throw another word at me. He challenged me to write more poetry, since I had written in High School. He said he loved my poetry and I loved his puns.  We worked together on a few greeting cards – he would give me a verse and I’d do the graphics.  Some of my best cards are signed -VERSE BY THE NORM - What a cleaver, joyful, creative creature our Elph was!  He gave so much to so many.

 

My next to last email from Norm was on January 26, 08.   He was always ready to learn something new and I had sent the Bio of a 1800s Hair wreath that I was posting on Ebay.   He was my editor when I wrote. Although he knew nothing about this item he said he was tempted just from my great bio. He said I should have been a copywriter.   It was fun to find something he knew nothing about - for he dove right in and wanted to know more about it. The only thing he ever turned away was a jigsaw puzzle – he said that was Nan’s niche,

 

On Jan 25,08 –he wrote - Going home Monday morning and looking forward to good food, cozy apartment. and good friends.

 

I answered and ALL WENT SILENT-------

 

My last email to him was Super bowl weekend—I wrote------- Games over! – COME OUT -COME OUT- WHEREVER YOU ARE!

 

A few days went by and I called the VA and was told that he was in ICU  ----I knew something was terribly wrong.

 

 I called on Valentines Day and spoke with his nurse.  I ask if he was awake and she assured me he was, I ask that she tell him that Sandy sends many hugs for Valentines Day – and she said she would. . That was my last contact with my friend.

 

I miss Norm daily – my inbox shall never be the same. He finally got me watching sports and now while I watch all I can do is wonder if he is watching too – I feel a bit abandoned.  Another classmate Mary Alice Boggan, who was a close friend of Elph just passed last year, they always watched and debated the games. I know that the two of them meet on game day and Elph is yelling as usual – “Get those pom- poms ready Sandy!”  I have lost more than an email friend I have lost my playmate and lifelong friend.

 

I was visiting my granddaughter in Texas the week of Norm’s passing so there was no way for me to know. Before leaving for home I was given a digital camera and a quick lesson on how to use it.  I stuck it in my luggage and off I went.  After I got home I sat down with the camera deciding that it was time for me to learn to use it.  Examining closely I found that it is a Cannon Power Shot, Digital Elph!  I don’t know what that says to you but to me it tells me that Elph and I are still in for some new adventures.  He has a few more things to teach me.  What a gift!  Amazing

 

 

A peaceful rest my friend.  The Angels applaud your entrance into God’s house.

 

Many hugs and my heartfelt condolences to the family of this wonderful, witty, creative man, who gave so much to so many.

Sandy T

High School classmate 

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Like many others I got to know Norm in Word Whomp. He loved to chat and pun with all his cyber friends and we spent many hilarious hours enjoying his company. I live in England, but come over to the States on holiday every year and every time I came I would phone him and we would chat for ages. Because I am English he always called me "Your Ladyship". We also talked a lot on IM and I got to know him really well. He was a truly lovely man, friendly, funny, sensitive and bright and I shall miss him very much. I send my warmest thoughts to his family. You must feel desolate right now, but remember what a special person he was and how lucky you were to have him so closely interwoven in your lives.

Thank you for the opportunity to share memories of your dad, Siobhan.

 

My first correspondence from Norm was something he wrote in response to a column I write for for The Hattiesburg American. We both belonged to the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop online at the time, and he had followed the link to my site from there.

 

That was years ago. Over time, Norm periodically dropped me an email with a great pun or positive comment on my writing, some play on words that would be SO Norm. It wasn't until he began sharing stories of his time with Nancy that I came to understand what a truly great man was Norman Stevenson.

 

As you so lovingly posted, theirs was an unusual connection and one that weathered the trials of marriage and raising a family well. One of my favorite comments Norm wrote: "I guess we just fell in love and stayed there."

 

I will miss his wonderful way with words and his fevered Gator pitch about the time college football gets in full swing. His enthusiasm, love for his family and friends and his undying wit will always inspire me, not to mention his heroic efforts to overcome disability and live a full and productive life.

 

God bless you, Siobhan. Please know there are countless others grieving with you. We are all very blessed to have known him. Godspeed, Norm. We miss you much.

"Norm S" as he signed his name when sending wordplay, was a veritable fount of puns for the International Save the Pun Foundation. I enjoyed his punning and riddling as he was one of the more prolific members of the PUNY and ISTPF. He will be sorely missed, but his playing with words will always be remembered.

OF NANCY

Otherwheres and otherwhens etch my face
and their sweet memories fill my days with grace
For I had the joy of sharing her time and space

She built rainbows
Rainbows of caring, Rainbows of sharing
Rainbows ending in a pot of hope
For those who despaired, not having her courage and spirit with which to cope

(Technically it is atrocious, but I hope the imagery and sentiment carry it -Dad)

[I got this from an email of Dad's I have archived.)

A few thought about my Friend, Norm Stevenson:

Toward the end of December in 2003, Norm and I got to know one another in the Gainesville Airport, waiting to board a plane to Washington D.C. for an International Conference on Aging, Disability and Independence run by the College of Public Health and Health Professionals at the University of Florida. He was in a wheel chair, having left his motorized vehicle behind and was having trouble with a coat. I said to him, Here, just give it to me. We liked each other right off and later became fast friends. We spent as much time as possible together for the 3 days of some very interesting and comprehensive lectures. I took one side trip to the Smithsonian, but other that that went to all lectures and ate all the food I could stuff in my face. As did Norm.

When we got back to Gainesville we decided to stay in touch and began a routine of going out to lunch, about every 2 or 3 weeks. We always went dutch and I always picked Norm up. For the first year or so I would get him it at his mobile Home at the Mobile Home Park. After his son moved across the street, Norm moved in with him and we continued our lunches. The conversations at all of these lunches were 90% about the athletics at the University. I had given Norm a subscription to the U.of Fl. Alumni Sports Magazine and we enjoyed many discussions on the abilities of the various football and basketball players. When Norm had to move out of his son's home he went to the Atrium. He was very reluctant to go at the time and wished he could be at the Village. He grew to enjoy the friendships and food at the Atrium however and it pleased me to see him happier and really enjoying his days and evenings. It all went awry when he fell and had to be hospitalized. I called him regularly, but sometimes had to call Siobhan to find out where he'd been moved to. Since I wasn't related to Norm and he wasn't able (most of the time) to call me I relied on her more intimate connections. She was always very kind and thoughtful to talk to and we became friends. (I hope she considers me a friend). [Siobhan note: Ab-so-fraggin'-loot-lee]

I had become more limited myself in the years Norm and I knew one another. My knees were very bad and my emphysema had become more serious and limiting. However our calls continued until the night of March 2 when the number where I had been talking to his nurse, did not answer. I had been forewarned, so I knew what it meant.

I said goodbye to my friend. Thank you for your friendship and may God bless.