Richard Norem Sr.

The Rite of Burial of the Dead with Holy Eucharist will be celebrated for Richard Norem, Sr. will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at St. James Episcopal Church with The Rev. Canon John D. Bedingfield officiating. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Joliet, IL., at a later date. Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in the chapel of John Kramer & Son Funeral Home. A prayer service for Richard will be held at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in the Kramer chapel, led by Rev. Bill Gearheard. Visitation will resume from 1:00 PM until the time of service on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at the St. James Episcopal Church. Richard Norem, Sr., 91, of Alexandria, passed away on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Regency House of Alexandria. Richard is preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Sally Lou Jarvis Norem; his parents, Oscar and Mable Vera Norem; sister, Mae Ruth Hodgdon and husband, Robert S. Hodgdon; and nephew, Bruce Hodgdon. Richard Norem, Sr. was born and raised in Joliet, Illinois, where he attended Joliet Township High School. After high school, Richard enrolled and received his bachelor's degree and master's degree in music from Eastman Conservatory of Music in Rochester, New York. Richard proudly served in the United States Marine Corp and was a member of the "Presidents Own," Marine Band. After Richard's service to his country, he went on to become a Professor of French Horn at the LSU School of Music later serving as its Assistant Dean. Richard played Principal Horn and was the longest serving member of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra for 52 years. He also was a member of the LSU Timm Wood Wind Quartet, and the Norem LSU Brass Quartet which was named in honor of Richard. Richard enjoyed a lifetime of bringing music into people's lives through his extensive musical career, teaching students, and his recordings. Richard was also an avid enthusiast of the Rolls Royce Club for many years and enjoyed collecting model trains. Together with his wife, Sally, they rode on many trains both in North America and abroad. While in Baton Rouge, Richard was a member of St. Luke Episcopal Church where he sang in the choir and a more recent member of St. James Episcopal Church in Alexandria. For many years, Richard's voice could be heard as the announcer at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. Richard was also a longtime Rotarian in both Baton Rouge and Alexandria, a Past Commander and Chaplain of the Boyd Post 58 American Legion in Baton Rouge, and a founding board member of the National Bank of Commerce, also in Baton Rouge. Those left to cherish his memory include his son, Richard (Rick) Frederick Norem, II and wife, Merrilyn Bush Norem, and two grandchildren, Richard (Erick) Frederick Norem, III and wife, Camille Faircloth Norem; and Gabriela Auxiliadora Romero. Pallbearers honored to serve will be Richard F. Norem, III, Felix Dawson, Jeffrey Bush, Victor Klimash, Mike Young, Jerry Distefano, and Lloyd Roesch. Honorary pallbearer will be Dr. Gourgen Hounatanian. To extend online notes of condolence to the Norem family, please visit www.KramerFunerals.com.