Frank Norick

1933 - 2024

Frank (Francis) Norick
03/09/1933 - 05/07/2024
Frank (Francis) Albert Norick, was born in March 1933 at home on Greenwich Street in San Francisco's Cow Hollow district, and died in May 2024 at age 91 while hospitalized in Berkeley. Preceded in death by his father, Frank Norick [Noreike] (1900-1936), mother [Otta] Alberta Rhodes (1909-1984), sister Gloria Amelia Norick (1927-1996), and first wife, Nancy Marguerite Xavier Sharpnack (1936-2013).
Frank graduated from Saint Vincent de Paul Elementary School, completed freshman year at Saint Ignatius High School and graduated from Galileo High School. He went on to City College of San Francisco (1951-1952) and, after his mandatory U.S. Army, Infantry service (1952-1954), worked as an apprentice structural ironworker (1954-1955). He returned to CCSF (1956-1957, A.A.) and on to UC, Berkeley (1957-1959, A.B.). His extended graduate career included San Francisco State (1960-1964, M.A.) and the University of California at Berkeley. He secured employment with the UCB Lowie Museum of Anthropology (now the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology) as a student and received his PhD in anthropology in 1976. He was a member of various campus and professional anthropological and museum associations, as well as various committees. He also was on the board of the Cartoon Art Museum of California and consultant curator of Aviation History and Vintage Aircraft for the SFO Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum.
A child of the radio, affable and witty guest and companion, chef, animal-lover, a man of many interests, and committed atheist, Frank is survived by his son, Nathan Norick, daughter-in-law, Theresa Lynn Smith Norick, and their daughter, Sarah Norick; spouse Donna Garaventa; brother-in-law, Marco Garaventa, sister-in-law, Gloria Garaventa and her spouse, Mark Rulli. Words cannot capture his essence and limited time on this earth.