On Sun, Jan 29, at the Cleveland Clinic, beloved husband of 35 years, brother, father, uncle, grandfather, and friend to so many, William Bradford Norris, succumbed at age 80 to the ravages of cancer after a short illness.
Born on Jul 1, 1925, to Earl C and Carol G Norris, Brad's early years were spent on Long Island, NY. As a young man, he attended Culver Military Academy and the University of Maryland.
At the outbreak of WWII, Brad volunteered for military service and was sent to Officer Candidate School s Fort Benning. Upon graduation, as a second lieutenant, he was shipped to the European theater as a platoon leader. He was the youngest man in the company.
Fighting in northeastern France, Brad was severely wounded on Oct 21, 1944.
After his recovery and honorable discharge with significant decorations, Brad returned to the University of Michigan, where he formed and toured a three piece combo; sax, piano, and trombone (his instrument). This helped with expenses while he earned his baccalaureate degree.
Ultimately, Brad graduated from Columbia Law School. He married his first wife, Cleveland's Lois Hart. He moved to Cleveland and began his professional life with the Hahn Loeser and Parks form of attorneys.
Privately, Brad worked to promote humanitarian causes. He marched with Martin Luther King in Selma, AL.
Brad married Elizabeth in 1970. Together, their achievements were many. Independent of their professional lives, Brad, Elizabeth, and teams of volunteers helped to found the public radio station, WCPN, got the public rapid transit system working and prevented the destructive routing of a freeway through the scenic and historically valuable Shaker Heights section.
At one juncture, Brad was asked to take the position of vice president and general counsel of one of the law firms clients; the Carling Brewing Co., a post he held for 15 years. When the company moved to Boston, Brad returned to Hahn Loeser and Parks.
Brad retired from his legal career in 1985 and moved to northwestern Michigan, to the very spot where his father and grandfather had built their home on the south shore of Torch Lake nearly a century ago. There he undertook a full new palette of actions for the public good.
He and Elizabeth have been tireless supporters and volunteer workers for the lake associations, preventing or curtailing environmentally destructive practices. They have also been the spearheads and spark plugs for the creation of the Rapid City Recreational and Athletic Complex.
Brad has left a bounty of faith and good fortune to those who will miss him the most, including his wife, Elizabeth; children, Todd (Mindy), Betsie, Bob (Paula), and stepchildren, Jack (Carol) Dodds, Carolyn (Ric Giorgi) Dodds and Pamela Dodds; brother, Jack; nieces, Tina (Larry) Fields, Becky Norris; and grandchildren, Portia, Daniel, Nicholas, Julianna, Elliott, and Ella.
Brad's life was celebrated at a service on Sun, Feb 5, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse. A second service will be held at the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland on a date to be announced.
