James Lee Norman

James Lee Norman, age 69, a retired public school teacher, passed away Monday, November 1, 2010. James Norman was born February 22, 1941, in Haskell. When he was young he lived at Tonk Creek, Rule, Sagerton, old Glory, Pettit, and on the family ranch near Peaster. James graduated from Weatherford College in 1961. He came to Fort Worth to attend Texas Christian University from which he earned both a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in 1963 and 1968. In 1963, James was hired by the Fort Worth Independent Schools to teach government at Amon Carter-Riverside High School. He remained there until he retired in 1997 after 34 years of service to "way over five thousand students". Most of his former students probably remember his introduction to endless numbers of illustrations and examples of governmental concepts, "Long ago and far away in a place called...." When he married Irene Quinn in 1986 (she was President-elect of the Fort Worth Education Association), James became a frequent member of various special-project groups for that association. He was active in consultation, attempts to obtain a Teacher Handbook from FWISD, and in an exploration of the possibilities of improving teacher rights through collaborative bargaining. During the last twenty years of his career, James was a member of all FWISD textbook selection committees that chose social studies text for the classes that he taught, except one committee that chose the economics text during the first year he taught that subject at Carter-Riverside. He was chair of the FWISD election committee responsible for conducting the election of members to the FWISD District Advisory Committee from the time of its inception until he retired. James was preceded in death by his wife, Irene Norman. He was a loving husband, father and friend. James was a man of integrity and character. He will be greatly missed by all. Survivors: son, Jeff Norman and wife, Connie and their daughter, Alison of Fort Worth; daughter, Melissa Lee Norman and her son, James Alan Parsons and daughters, Serena and Celeste Gonzales of Fort Worth; cousin, Wanda Jean Hill of Mineral Wells; sister-in-law, Carlotta Norman; niece, Michelle Lewis of Vermont; and other relatives, the Hoovers of Benbrook and Fort Worth and the Russells from all around Texas and the United States. Graveside service: 2 p.m., Tuesday at Dilbeck Cemetery in Peaster. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m., Monday. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Social Ministries at Saint Andrew's Catholic Church.