Norman David Heller

Norman David Heller Passed away December 9, 2013 after a stubborn battle with cancer. He was born on April 22, 1927 to Abraham and Martha Heller. He grew up in Burlingame and graduated from Burlingame High School. Upon his graduation, he was drafted in the Army to fight at the end of World War II. He was stationed in Germany and attended the Nuremberg trials. He was honorably discharged after two years of service and then attended UC Berkeley on the GI Bill. He was an active member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity and graduated in 1951 with a degree in Business. After college, he worked with his father in the retail business. He owned and managed Lakeside Sporting Goods in San Francisco until he retired in 1989. In his younger years, Norman learned to scuba dive and was a participant in the "San Francisco Flipper Dippers," a group of scuba divers that became and stayed good friends many years after they had turned in their fins. This was also the avenue in which he met his wife, Barbara. Some of his favorite memories were participating in abalone dives at Salt Point and having his daughters' pound out the abalone so it could be cooked. After his retirement, he was active in the local chapter of Volunteers for Israel, a nonprofit organization with the mission to connect Americans to Israel through volunteer service as he traveled to and volunteered in Israel many times. Norman served one term on the Marin County Grand Jury in 1982-1983. He was an avid gardener, lover of good food and devoted father and grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Heller, his daughters, Sarah Heller Madson and Leslie Heller, his brother, Daniel Heller, his son-in-law Ethan Madson, and his two beautiful grand-daughters, Riley Grace and Kelsey Rose Madson. A celebration of his life is being planned.