Dr. James Donald Norris, 82, passed away January 16 at Oak Crest Retirement Center with his family by his side. Born in Richmond, Missouri, November 2, 1930 to Floyd and Gladys Norris; Jim or Jimmy Don as he was called, grew up in Richmond and then attended Central Missouri University in Warrensburg Missouri. The Korean War interrupted his education, and he entered the Air Force where he served 4 years. He was accepted in the Air Force Cadet School but was forced to leave due to hearing loss and spent the balance of his service working in intelligence, participating in the testing of the Hydrogen Bomb in the Marshall Islands. Immediately upon leaving the Air Force, Jim enrolled at the University of Missouri at Columbia, Missouri where he arrived at his first class still in military fatigues. He graduated with a B.S in Education in 1956, a Master of Arts in 1958 and a Ph.D. in History in 1962. During this time, he married his sweetheart Nancy Hamilton in 1957 who was also enrolled at the university.

Jim was an Assistant, then Associate Professor of History at Hiram College for four years and in 1965 was a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He then moved to the University of Missouri, St. Louis becoming Chairman of the History Department in 1969. Jim served the University of Missouri system on the Inter-campus Faculty Council. In 1972 Jim was awarded a Federal Fulbright Senior Lectureship in Ghana, West Africa. He spent time on their limited television, answering questions about Watergate, teaching and lecturing.

As a historian Jim taught American History, but specialized in frontier and business history, the field in which he researched and published eight books during his career.

In 1979, Jim, Nancy and their three children moved to DeKalb, Illinois, to serve as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. His distinguished service to NIU and to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences from 1979-2000 included the creation of several new academic units, such as the Department of Computer Science, the Women's Studies program, the Division of Statistics, and the Center for the Study of Family Violence and Sexual Assault. He championed new doctoral programs in biological, mathematical, and geological sciences, always with an eye toward enhancing NIU's reputation as a comprehensive teaching and research university. Dean Norris' leadership ability and integrity led his colleagues to select him to serve as Executive Secretary of the University Council and then as President of the Faculty Senate. In 2011 he was a recipient of a Distinguished Faculty Award in Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Above all else, Jim was a devoted faculty member. That perspective guided all of his decisions, informed his leadership style, and earned him the reputation as a fair, collegial, and transparent administrator and colleague.

Jim was predeceased by his parents, a brother Earl Norris, sister in law Peggy Norris and niece Jenny Riley, brother-in-law James Gadt and niece Jo Ellen Hicks.

Jim is survived by his wife of 55 years Nancy, his son James Hamilton Norris, wife Irene and three children, Jimmy, Shannon and Jenny; daughter Katie Geer and children Taylor Hopper and twins Tessa and Hunter; daughter Elizabeth Dailey and son David Smith; a sister, Joanne Gadt; Nancy?s brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Buford and Camille Hamilton and their children Scott Hamilton and Megan Hamilton.

All his life, Jim enjoyed the outdoors: boating and fishing on Leech Lake in Minnesota, hunting geese, pheasant and quail in Missouri and Illinois and being with his family at his cabin in Minnesota. He especially enjoyed hunting with his son Jim and brother-in-law Buford and nephew Scott in Missouri. Upon retirement, Jim developed new friendships with which he hunted, fished and enjoyed various adventures: Phil Nye and sons, who did the heavy lifting on deer hunts, Charlie Larson, Bud Tyler, and Chuck Ballard,

A visitation will be held from 9?11 and a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday morning February 15, 2013 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 830 Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb. Those wishing to honor his legacy may make donations in lieu of flowers to the NIU Foundation. Please enclose a note advising the Foundation that the gift is in memory of Dr. James D. Norris. Gifts can be sent to: NIU Foundation Altgeld Hall 134 DeKalb, IL 60115 Attn: Teri Gensler. To send an online condolence visit: www.ronanmoorefinch.com. Arrangements were entrusted to Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL 60115 815-758-3841.

Service:
Friday, February 15, 2013

11:00 am

Westminster Presbyterian Church
Visitation:
Friday, February 15, 2013

9:00 - 11:00 am

Westminster Presbyterian Church