Obituary of Norman Thomas Davis

Norman Davis, after 94 years, peacefully concluded a life well lived on September 16, 2021. He leaves behind his wife of more than 71 years, Shirley, and his children Laurin, Kevin (Bebe), Olwen and Bronwen (Michael). Norman was born in Dos Cabezas, AZ and spent his early years in Willcox, AZ. He moved with his family to Phoenix, AZ when his father was elected to the AZ House of Representatives. Norman graduated early from North Phoenix High School so he could join the Navy at the age of 17, where he served on a hospital ship supporting the World War II Pacific theater. Upon discharge from the Navy, Norman went to college and graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science, from Iowa State with a Master of Science, and from the University of Wisconsin with a PhD in Entomology. He worked for the University of Connecticut, where he was a professor, until he was 60. In his time at UConn he held numerous positions within the University and the Department of Life Sciences, but he was always most interested in being an educator and a scientist. He was also active in the Democratic party, had a bountiful vegetable garden, and was loved by and loved all animals. After retiring from UConn, Norm spent approximately the next twenty years at the University of Arizona ARL Division of Neurobiology performing research and sharing his experience. This was a very special time for Norm as he was able to be a scientist for the sheer pleasure of science. Norman suffered a stroke in 2014 and spent the remainder of his life working to regain speech and reading. After a life of being an educator, he was again a student. He never stopped trying. While the stroke took away much from him, he retained an amazing sense of humor that he shared frequently. Norman was not physically a large man but the impact he made on those with whom he came in contact – undergraduate and graduate students, colleagues and others in the scientific community, his Vista Ciudad neighbors, the Tucson Friends of Aphasia community, and most of all his family – was tremendous. We feel his absence every day and miss him dearly. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on October 15 at the Adair Funeral Home, Avalon Chapel, Oro Valley, Arizona.