Dorothy Margaret Norman

Dorothy Margaret Selfridge Norman passed away peacefully on January 12, 2018, a month shy of her 96th birthday. Dorothy, known to her friends as Dottie (but never Dot!) was born on February 23, 1922 in Andover, Massachusetts, to Walter Robert Selfridge and Florence Gertrude Myers Selfridge. During her education at Fisher College in Boston, she met the man who would later become her lifelong partner of 70 years, Nelson Norman, on a blind date. After a few years of dating and an engagement of only 10 days, Nelson and Dottie were married on September 25, 1944 in a full church and set off to begin their life in Illinois. Dottie was determined to have four boys and two girls, and so they began the expansion of their family in 1945 with the birth of their first child. After their thirdborn, they journeyed west to California where Dottie, an east coast girl at heart, agreed to stay for "just one year;" however, she was converted by the warmth of their first California 'winter’ and the warm and wonderful friends they made along the way. They remained there for over 60 years, fulfilling Dottie's dream of four boys and two girls along the way.

Throughout this time, Dottie continued to pursue her college degree. A woman before her time, she effectively and lovingly balanced home, family (6 children!), and over 15 years of college coursework, culminating in her degree from San Diego State University in 1967. In addition, Nelson always credited her with the status of CEO of the household.

In 1967, Dottie began a career in social work, a field which remained a lifelong passion, inspiring her eldest son and several offspring to follow suit. She also frequently accompanied Nelson on his academic trips abroad, where she fell in love with the British Museum and the wild English gardens. Back home in San Diego, her own garden bloomed with avocados, peaches, Meyer lemons, mandarins, and full, fragrant roses that often featured on the mantelpiece at cocktail hour.

Unlike Nelson, whose passion was typing emails and reports on the computer, Dottie avoided both technology and writing. She was proud to consider herself "computer free." Her grandmother had advised her not to write anything down that she wouldn't want the whole world to see, so from an early age she decided to simply never write anything down at all. Though averse to putting things in print, she wasn’t shy of the telephone and always called to check in on family and friends. Later in life, she learned to enjoy technology in the form of periodic Skype sessions with family from afar.

Dottie loved music; the reverberant sound of the church organ playing hymns moved her as much as humming along to Big Band hits. She had a fondness for chubby babies and well-behaved animals, and she always read her newspaper front to back, saving the puzzles and periodicals for her children and grandchildren.

Dottie will be remembered as a sharp, strong woman with a vibrant spirit that shone even to the end. Throughout her life she maintained an intrepid and self-assured disposition that opened her up to countless adventures and lasting friendships. Some of her favorite memorable travels included a cruise to New Zealand and summers spent in Arundel, England. She and Nelson also took frequent road trips to visit many relatives and to solidify friendships old and new. Dottie will be truly missed by all who were lucky enough to know her, but her vibrant spirit will live on through them.

Dottie is survived by her brother, Walter Robert Selfridge Jr. of New Jersey, and by her six children:

Kenneth Gerard, Douglas Ford (Charlotte), Theodore Francis (Kathy), Barbara Jeanne Norman Puhl (Bruce), Gregory Andrew (Kimberly), and Diane Elizabeth Norman Mondello. Of these four boys and two girls, Dottie's family continues to grow, with 20 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Dorothy's Life will take place in the San Diego area in early April. Details will be announced on www.humphreymortuary.com