NORRIS DARRELL

DARRELL--Norris W.

Norris W. Darrell, of Cold Spring Harbor, NY and Edgartown, MA passed away peacefully on December 12, 2016 after a brief illness. He was 87. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Henriette, their son Andrew, daughter-in-law Dana and two grandchildren, Una (16) and Kai (11), and his brother Richard -- for all of whom he provided an endless supply of love, humor and practical wisdom. Born to Doris Clare Williams and Norris Darrell, Norris grew up in New York City, attending St. Bernard's, Exeter, Harvard ('51) and Harvard Law. He spent two years in the US Army and then joined Sullivan & Cromwell, where he became partner in 1965. He led the firm's Paris office for three years and went on to build a practice in securities and corporate law for clients around the world. On a ski trip to St. Anton, Austria, he fell in love with Henriette Maria Haid at an after- ski tea dance. They married in 1962 and built a joyful life together. Norris loved sailing, tennis and skiing. He raced an Atlantic out of Cold Spring Harbor, NY and a Herreschoff 12 out of Edgartown, MA, amassing not only winning records but a warm reputation as a good sport and a coach to newcomers in the fleets. He sailed one of the first windsurfers when the sport was first introduced, and his son and daughter-in-law are avid windsurfers to this day. Retiring at 65 to dedicate time to family and civic organizations, he served on the boards of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for cancer and biology research, the Heckscher Museum of Art, and the Lumina Foundation for access to education. He established a scholarship fund on Martha's Vineyard to help young people overcome obstacles to achieve higher education -- many of the students receiving these scholarships are the first in their families to attend college. He was part of many communities of friends, often remembered for his sparkling wit, curiosity and warmth. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Darrell Research Fund at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the Darrell/Lumina Fund at the Permanent Endowment of Martha's Vineyard or any charity of your choice.