Dr. Robert Norris

Dr. Robert Matheson Norris
April 24, 1921 - August 31, 2012
Bob Norris died peacefully and in the company of his beloved wife Virginia, daughter Betsy and son-in-law Bob, at his Santa Barbara home on 31 August 2012. A second-generation Californian, Bob Norris grew up and attended high school in the semi-rural San Fernando valley of the pre-war years. He completed his undergraduate work at UCLA before serving in the Navy for 2-1/2 years during which time he saw action at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the war he earned a doctoral degree from Scripps under Professor Francis P. Shepherd in 1951. He taught geology at the University of California, Santa Barbara for 40 years. His research interests were varied and included numerous studies of coastal erosion, shelf sedimentation and Quaternary environments in the deserts of California and Australia. In 1981 he received the Neil Miner Award from the National Assoc. of Geology Teachers as well as the Robert Wallace Webb Award from the Far Western Section of the American Geological Institute. Throughout his long career, Bob was a frequent and enthusiastic leader of UCSB Geology student field trips to the mountains and deserts of California. He is survived by son Don (wife Christine), granddaughter Ariel; son Jim; daughter Betsy (husband Bob) and grandson Aaron. Bob was predeceased by grandson Jackson Norris.
A memorial ceremony will be conducted on Sat 15 Sept 2012, from 11:00am at The First Congregational Church, 2201 State Street, Santa Barbara. A celebration of Bob's life for his many friends, colleagues and students is planned for early in 2013. For more details, please visit: www.bobnorris.org In lieu of flowers, gifts to the Granite Mountains Desert Research Center would be appreciated. (Checks should be made out to "UC Regents" and mailed to Granite Mtns Desert Research Center, PO Box 101, Kelso, CA 92309. Please include a note stating that the donation should go to the GMDRC).