Dr. Norman Durham

1927 - 2022

Norman Durham

Dr. Norman Nevill Durham was born on February 14, 1927, in Ranger, Texas, to Harold and Bernice (Griffith) Durham. He died peacefully Friday, May 13, 2022 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Interment will be at Marena cemetery. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held on Thursday, May 19, at 1:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Norman grew up in Eastland, Texas, and graduated as the valedictorian of Eastland High School in 1944. Immediately following his graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy, completing his basic training in San Diego, California. He was stationed at the Brown Shipyards naval base in New Orleans, Louisiana, serving in the medical corps as a pharmacist until his honorary discharge in 1945 as a pharmacist mate third class. On his 95th birthday, Norman was honored as the Veteran of the Week by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

After his military service, Norman attended North Texas State University receiving Bachelor and Master degrees in biological sciences and chemistry. In the Fall of 1951, he enrolled in the University of Texas Austin in bacteriology and biochemistry, receiving his Doctoral degree in microbial genetics in 1954. Following the completion of his PhD in 1954, Norman joined the faculty of Oklahoma A&M as an assistant professor teaching microbiology. He achieved full professor status in 1961 and continued teaching until 1967 when he was selected to serve as the Dean of the Graduate College at Oklahoma State University. During his tenure at Oklahoma State University, he served as advisor to numerous graduate students and oversaw the degree achievements of over 21,500 students. Norman served as the Dean until 1991, when he was selected to serve as Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Prior to his retirement in 1995, Norman served as the Associate Vice President for Academic Planning. In 1999, Norman was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.

Norman met his future wife, Jane, when she was a student in his bacteriology lab at the University of Texas Austin. They married on July 26, 1952, in Muleshoe, Texas, and lived and loved together for almost 66 years. They have four daughters – Susan Durham (Richard Mueller), Janet Gaskins (Bradley), Diane Durham and Linda Bender (David). His legacy continues with five grandchildren – Jonathan (Rick) Miller, Melissa Miller, Joshua Miller, Breawna Bender and Sarah Mueller, and one great-grandson Blake Scott. Norman is also survived by numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his wife and his parents.

Norman was dedicated to community service and served on numerous committees and boards at the local, state and national levels. These included the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce; BancFirst Board of Directors; Oklahoma Water Resources Research Institute of the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Center of Groundwater Research with the Environmental Protection Agency; Governor's Council for Environmental Quality; National Institutes of Health, Arthritis and Metabolic Disease Study; National Science Foundation; U.S. Atomic Energy Commission; U.S. Office of Education Council on Manpower Planning; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and Federal Energy Administration.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Golden Kiwanis, Payne County Cattlemen's Association, Oklahoma Hereford Association and the American Hereford Association, along with many others. Norman was an elected fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and a member of the American Society of Microbiology.

The family would like to thank Dr. Woody Jenkins and the staff at Stillwater Medical Center for the care they provided to Norman.

Norman's life was one of service to his family, community, state and nation. He credited his parents, Harold and Bernice, for instilling in him a responsibility to serve others and to share his knowledge for the betterment of all. The support of his wife, Jane, allowed him to continue to serve – and to develop a nationally recognized herd of Polled Hereford cattle (and four absolutely fabulous daughters)!

In honor of Norman's life, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the Hereford Youth Foundation of America, the OSU Department of Animal Science, the OSU Department of Microbiology, the OSU Department of Veterinary Medicine through the OSU Foundation or to the charity of your choice.

Condolences may be sent to the family and an online obituary viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com

www.strodefh.com