Jack Louis Norman died March 27 at the age of 95. 

He was born in Millville/Cumberland, N.J., grew up in Michigan, attending Cranbrook Prep School in Bloomfield, Mich., and settled in Columbia after a year at Yale University and two years serving in the army civil engineering group in post-WWII Germany. He matriculated at Washington University in St. Louis and received his Bachelor of Arts in political science and economics.

Upon his return to the U.S., he worked at several surveying and engineering companies before becoming a partner at the Metron Surveying Company. In 1967, he formed the Norman Surveying Company where for 40 years he oversaw surveying projects in Monroe and Madison counties.

Politics, the environment and land use were his passions as well as civic duty. He served as the chairman and secretary for the Columbia Planning Commission, treasurer for the Monroe Country Planning Commission, executive commitee member for the St. Louis Metropolitan Planning Commission, member of the St Louis East-West Gateway Coordinating Council Governmental Relations Task Force, secretary for the Monroe Country Republican Central Committee, president and secretary of the Columbia Rotary Club, and director and secretary of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

He was an avid believer in good stewardship of land and water serving as an active member of the Sierra Club, both locally and statewide for over 30 years. He was a member of the Illinois chapter executive committee, the chapter audit and budget committees, chairman of the chapter by-laws committee, chapter vice-chairman and chairman of the seven-county croup. He was also a chapter delegate on the forum on conservation and agriculture.

On the lighter side, he had a dry sense of humor, a sparkle in his eye and was well known and liked in the community. In his later years, he could often be found in the morning sharing coffee with friends or doing the crossword puzzle at the Columbia McDonalds or Cafe at the Abbey. He had a warm bass voice and sang in several choruses over the years with Mary Ellen and his sister-in-law Janet, including the choir at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Columbia. At Cranbrook, he was part of the glee club and participated in musicals such as Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore.

Jack is survived by his wife Mary Ellen; daughters Marcia Cagan (Jeff) and Jennifer Schmidt (Tom), son Peter (Deborah); grandchildren Andrew Cagan (Robin), Brice Cagan (Iona), Emily Reuschel (Andrew) and Daniel Schmidt (Erin); and great-grandchildren Everett, Alyda and Arlie Reuschel and Quincy and Cameron Cagan. He is also survived by his brothers David (Darlene) and Philip Norman, nieces and nephews Darius, Antony and Jolie Krupnik, Judy Wilburn (Richard), Jeanie Wisman (Tom), Christie Brown (Michael), Carl Norman (Laura) and Paul Norman.

Visitation for Jack is 10-11 a.m. March 30 at St. Paul United Church of Christ in Columbia. 

Burial will be at the Evangelical St. Paul Cemetery following the service.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to: The Sierra Club Illinois Chapter, Kaskaskia Group.