NORMAN J. MICHAELS

Norman J. Michaels, 79, of Roanoke, passed away Monday, February 27, 2006. He was born September 3, 1926 in Brooklyn N.Y. He attended Brooklyn Technical High School, Dartmouth College, and served in the Navy during WWII where he worked in the Enola Gay Project. After the Navy, he graduated from Colgate University in 1947 with a B.A. in Mathematics. He was discharged from the Navy and worked in the Redesign Engineering Department of Liberty Aircraft in Farmingdale, NY. He completed his graduate work at Adelphi and Columbia Universities. From there he pursued what came to be his lifelong passion, education. He began as a mathematics teacher in the Brentwood, NY Public Schools and then became the director of the mathematics department in the Bedford, NY, Public Schools in 1963. He started in the Rochester City School District in 1975 where he was the Director of Math, Science, and Major Achievement. "If you've got a smart kid, you're going to have to live in the city," he said about the city's future math programs. "I've never had a program that wasn't No. 1." He came to Roanoke in 1982 where he served as the Asst. Superintendent of Instruction for 12 years. Frank Tota, superintendent of city schools for both Rochester and Roanoke, stated "he was an instructional genius." As a result of his instructional direction in the Plato/City School and Governor School, the Roanoke School District was nationally recognized for its math and science instruction in the 1980's. He will be greatly missed and forever remembered by his wife of 57 years, Joan Michaels; his three children: Norman Jr. and his wife Heidi; Christopher and his wife, Marie; David and his wife, Pat; and his 12 devoted and loving grandchildren. A Private Memorial Service was held on March 1st for family members. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The American Diabetes Association (ADA).