Norman Lafayette Jeter

As pilots say, Norman Lafayette Jeter took his final flight west on July 9, 2015. The loving father, brother and husband, faithful friend, Naval Aviator, Realtor, volunteer fire fighter and professional musician and consummate entertainer will be missed dearly.

He embraced life and those around him with a bigger than life force. There was never a dull moment around Norm Jeter. He loved to tell stories, cook and eat good food, fix and tinker with things (often rigging contraptions that really worked!), toast the sunset, conduct, play and listen to great music, organize people to do their best, baby antique furniture and cars, fly his Cessna, sail his boats, volunteer with the Innerarity Point Fire Department (don?t touch that red phone!), and was always reading to learn. He avidly traveled the entire globe with family and never met a stranger while on his adventures in this life. Almost up to his last days he was smoking his pipe, reading a book, and visiting happily with everyone at Azalea Trace. He enjoyed life.

His earthly journey all started on a Chillicothe, MO farm December 8, 1929 when he was born to Norman Lycurgus Jeter and Dorothy May Zook Jeter. His brother David followed a few years later. Norm began piano at age 6, organ lessons at age 12, and at age 13, went to Missouri Valley College as a special student for piano lessons. He also played the organ for church services. He excelled in school, graduated from Slater High in Slater, MO and began college at the age of 16 at Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, MO where he lettered as a football player.

He met Jerry Louise Bryant (Jeter) on a blind date, and married her in Kansas City, MO in 1952. An eager learner, his studies included a Masters of Music Oboe) from Northwestern University and a Post Graduate Degree in Monterey, CA.

A lifelong musician he played tuba, piano, string bass, bagpipes, bells, recorders, trombone, banjo, and oboe with numerous bands, he was a member of and conducted the Perdido Bay United Methodist Church Choir for years. He built his home around a 2 rank Kilgen & Sons pipe organ. He directed a cadet choir and the Naval Training Command Choir in 1951-52. Norm installed and played the grand Schlicker pipe organ for years at the NAS Naval Aviation Memorial Chapel where his funeral will take place. He directed choirs and played the organ at every duty station including Midway Island.

Norm was commissioned as an Ensign at 20 years of age, later leaving active duty to be a teacher and band director in Corpus Christi, TX and MO. He re-entered the Navy in 1955 to retire in 1973 as a LCDR. Notable aircraft flown were the float planes PBY Catalina and PBM Mariner and the military version on the DC-3. He was on the forefront of helicopter development, ushering in and evaluating early HUP?s, Piasecki?s, H34?s, CH46?s to name a few. When the Marines boarded the USS Boxer with their new helicopters, Norm would routinely jump down from the tower, take the co-pilots seat and fly combat missions into Vietnam with the Marines. As recognition, the Marines made him an honorary USMC officer replete with sword and ceremony. He flew Navy Helicopters in Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Dominican Republic and a few other hot spots. He was the Pensacola NAS Naval Aviation Schools Command assistant director of training, the assistant air officer of the USS Boxer, the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor at the University of New Mexico, and the Security Officer and Search and Rescue Pilot on Midway Island.

In ?retirement? Norm flew for Petroleum Helicopters around the Gulf of Mexico and a very successful Realtor and Investor working with Richardson Agency Century 21 and Keen Realty where he met Edra Varner Keen and married her in October 1983. He was a very active member and past president of the Kiwanis Club of Big Lagoon, and was the past Lt. Governor of the Kiwanis Club of Florida and a member of the Avant Garde Mardi Gras Krewe. He looked great in his Kiwanis Orange! He had a servant?s heart in an often gruff exterior as he was highly intelligent and saw the solution to people?s issues, but was sometimes impatient with the solution not being found by the person immediately. He was truly acting in love. Dad always said he was willing to put on his whites, grab his sword and go to bat for us kids if needed.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his 1st wife, Jerry.

Survivors include wife, Edra Keen Jeter; his brother, David Jeter (Judy); son, Lt Col James Jeter, USAF, ret (Mary), son, Norman Jeter (Lois); daughter, Susie Jeter Griffith (Marty); step-daughter, Debbie Jeter; grandchildren, Nicole, Mike, Norman and Anna Jeter, Ella Griffith, Matthew and Dan Cassidy; nephews, Jed Jeter and Ned Bryant; niece, Kinsey Burdwood and numerous great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at the NAS Naval Aviation Memorial Chapel at 10am. Please come to listen to organ prelude music beginning around 9:40 with Mike McCracken, Organist. Burial will follow at 11am at Barrancas National Cemetery with Navy Honors and a reception at the Mustin Beach Officers? Club thereafter.

He was a great pilot. He was a great musician. He could finesse a note like he finessed the aircraft. He really loved his family and his life. He will be missed.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions be made to the Big Lagoon Kiwanis Foundation in Norm Jeter?s name. You may send your donation care of Capt. Joseph J. Thompson, 9890 Rail Circle, Pensacola, FL 32507.

Thank you to all the staff and residents of Azalea Trace, especially all his good friends at the Maintenance Entrance. He could finesse a note.