David Allan Norris

Norris, David Allan, 80, died peacefully at home in Temple Terrace on Wednesday, August 23, 2017, under the care of Hospice and surrounded by family and friends. As Dave liked to quip, he was “born at a very early age”, in Pittsburgh, to Lloyd and Dorothy (Nease) Norris. Dave was in junior high when his father died, prompting his mother to move them to South Florida, where he graduated from Coral Gables High School in 1954. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Miami in 1959, and then worked briefly for the Westinghouse Corp. in Baltimore before being drafted into the Army that same year. On the advice of a friend, Dave let his superiors know that he could type, which helped him get a unit clerk typist job with the Counterintelligence Corps in Mobile, AL. There, he met the love of his life, Ronelle Carlson. The couple married in 1961, with their only child, Sarah, arriving the following year. Dave went to work for the Army Corps of Engineers as a Safety Engineer after completing his military service in 1962. His next position was with the Army Missile Command in Huntsville, AL. He then accepted a position with NASA at Mississippi Test Facility in Hancock County, MS. In 1967, Dave returned to Huntsville to work at Marshall Space Flight Center, during the time of the first moon walk. When the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was established in 1971, Dave was hired for the third class of trainees, on the promise of a move to his beloved South Florida. He spent the remainder of his career with OSHA, first in Fort Lauderdale and then in Tampa until retiring in 1999. A longtime member of St. Catherine ‘s Episcopal Church, Temple Terrace, Dave served in many capacities, including Junior Warden, Senior Warden, Chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee, and usher. He played tennis until health issues sidelined him at 78. He and Ronelle enjoyed many outdoor activities including, biking, hiking, sailing and canoeing. The couple also had many travel adventures around the world. While his resume is impressive, Dave will be remembered most for being a true gentleman, a man who lived his values of integrity, kindness, and loyalty. His fierce devotion to ice cream is legendary. He often observed, “People go to a lot of trouble to make a desert that is almost as good as ice cream.” Dave didn’t play favorites, either; he enjoyed all flavors of ice cream. He practiced a sly sense of humor and a love of negotiation, most especially with car salesmen. On the surface, Dave could come across as a creampuff, but with a center of steel, he was no pushover. Dave is survived by Ronelle, his wife of 55 years; daughter, Sarah; sister-in-law Elida Hoyle, and many other family members and close friends. A memorial service will be held at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, Temple Terrace, on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 1:00 pm, followed by an ice cream social in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Endowment Fund of St. Catherine’s Church are suggested. Words of comfort may be expressed for David's family by clicking on the “Share a Memory” link below.