Tom David Norman

Tom David Norman was born March 12, 1925 in Ashland, Natchitoches Parish, La., the only child of John David and Nena McCain Norman. He died June 22, 2011 at his home in Alexandria, La. at the age of 86. Growing up in Cotton Valley, La., he was an active Methodist, an Eagle Scout and a delegate to the first and second Pelican Boys State, serving the second year also as a counselor at the first Pelican Girls State. He graduated from Cotton Valley High School as co-valedictorian in 1942 and attended LSU until volunteering at age 18 for the US Navy. He was assigned to the USNR V-12 program and sent to Tulane University, New Orleans, where he continued his pre-med curriculum and was accepted into Tulane Medical School's class that began March 1, 1944. He was honorably discharged from the US Naval Reserve in 1946 and received his MD degree June 11, 1947. He served his internship at Scott and White Hospital, Temple, Texas followed by a residency at Huey P. Long Hospital, Pineville, La. After general practice in Ruston, La. and Natchez, Miss., he volunteered for service in the US Air Force Reserve, where he served as dispensary officer and laboratory officer at Reese AFB, Lubbock, Texas and Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas with the rank of captain. His training in pathology at the Institute of Pathology, the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, Tenn. included special study in neuropathology at Duke University School of Medicine and the Mayo Clinic. After serving as instructor in pathology at Tennessee, he was named associate professor of pathology at the University of Mississippi Medical School, Jackson, Miss. where he served until becoming associate professor of pathology at the University of Arkansas Medical Center, Little Rock, Ark. In 1960 he became associate professor of pathology at the Tulane University School of Medicine, returning to Little Rock in 1961 as professor and chairman of the Dept. of Pathology at the University of Arkansas Medical Center. In 1966 he came to Alexandria to practice pathology with Dr. Edward Uhrich at Baptist Hospital. He retired in 1993 and was named an Emeritus Fellow of the College of American Pathologists. During his academic career he received grants from the National Institutes of Health for research in cancer and heart disease and published more than 50 papers in leading medical journals. He was admitted to membership in the American Society for Experimental Biology. Other professional organizations included the American Association of Pathologists and Bacteriologists, the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was a diplomate in anatomic pathology of the American Board of Pathology. He was a charter member and first treasurer of the Rapides Symphony Orchestra and a past president, and served on the boards of the Central Louisiana Historical Association, Kent House, the Alexandria Museum of Art and the Rapides Parish Fair. In 1967 he was co-chairman with his wife, Hope, of the First Annual Arts Festival of First United Methodist Church. He studied sculpture with Frank Hayden at Southern University, Baton Rouge, and enjoyed vegetable gardening, furniture restoration, cattle farming and Cameron Parish birding. He established the orchards of Rosalie Pecans and was active in the Louisiana Pecan Growers Association. He married Helen Hope Johns of New Orleans June 16, 1947. He was predeceased by his son, Thomas Foster Norman, DVM, in 2005. He is survived by his wife of 64 years; his son, David Johns Norman of Berryville, Va. and wife Deb; his son Dr. Stephen Henry Norman of Alexandria and wife Lisa; his daughter, Hope Norman Coulter of Little Rock, Ark. and husband Mel White; his daughter-in-law, Karen Normand Norman of Alexandria; grandchildren Catherine Norman Stead and husband Mark of Dallas; Laura Norman Clerc and husband Brian of Dallas; Matthew Stephen Norman of Muenster, Germany; Melissa Hope Norman of Baton Rouge; Emily Norman Murphy and husband Mike of Alexandria; Sarah Louise Norman of New Orleans; Margaret Helen Norman of Baton Rouge; Caroline Grace Coulter, Nathan David Coulter and Thomas Norman Coulter of Little Rock; step-grandchildren, William Thomas Elkins and wife Amy of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Benjamin Bryan Elkins of Alexandria; Katharine Elkins DelaVega and husband Mark of Berryville, Va.; Allen Clare Elkins Heckman and husband Drew of Atlanta; great-grandchildren Grace Murphy of Alexandria and Mason and Grant Stead of Dallas; and step-great-grandsons Bossier and Davis DelaVega of Berryville, Va. and Houston Heckman of Atlanta. A memorial service will be at the First United Methodist Church, Alexandria, at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 24, with the Rev. Barry Hoekstra officiating. The family will receive visitors before and after the service. Memorials are suggested to the Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival, First United Methodist Church, 2727 Jackson, Alexandria, La. 71301; UAMS Cancer Research, 4301 W. Markham St., Little Rock, Ark. 72205; or a charity of one's choice.