Norman J. Blears

Norm was one of my oldest, very best, and trusted friends. He was keenly intelligent, but more importantly, fair-minded and kind. He was exceptionally accomplished, yet modest in speaking about his accomplished... and it's hard to be humble when you're Norwegian. ;-D Norm, his wife, Nancy, and I all moved out to California about the same time following graduation from Denison University in Ohio. We've shared many adventures and I've watched his daughters grow up into beautiful & remarkable...

Norm was best student over 20 years of teaching , at Denison, Georgetown and Harvard. He was also one of my best friends with an enormous capacity for all things human—love, justice, humor, pathos and possibility.
The world is a better place because he lived and will be less of a place with his passing. Still, he leaves a legacy of good that should inspire hope in us all, with this message:what you do on this earth matters. Make the best of your short time here.

A great gentle soul.

I always enjoyed Norms stories during his dental visits. He was kind and quick with a compliment and smile. My heart goes out to his family during this sad time. I will miss him.