Norman Lee Trzaskoma

Norman Lee Trzaskoma, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, passed away on Friday, August 7, 2026. Born April 30, 1948, in Steubenville, Ohio, he was the son of John and Betty Trzaskoma. He had one brother, Johnny, and a half-sister, Joy, who preceded him in death.

Norman is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Judy Kaye Bryant. He is also survived by his son, Benjamin Lee Trzaskoma and his wife, Christine, his daughter, Rachel Trzaskoma Schatzberg, and his grandchildren, Isabella Schatzberg, Brendan Trzaskoma, and Devin Trzaskoma.

Long before generations of students knew him as “Coach Traz,” Norman was an accomplished athlete. At Evangel University, he became the university’s first four-year letter winner in both cross country and track and field and was inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985.

Norman earned a master’s degree in education and devoted his career to teaching mathematics and coaching at R.J. Reynolds High School. Under his leadership, Reynolds won seven NCHSAA team state championships, including five consecutive boys’ cross-country titles from 1974 through 1978. His teams consistently ranked among the best in North Carolina and earned national recognition. Beyond competition, Norman worked to create opportunities for his athletes, helping many find scholarships to continue their education.

Norman was named North Carolina High School Cross Country Coach of the Year three times and received the NCHSAA Toby Webb Coach of the Year Award in 2009. He was inducted into the R.J. Reynolds High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and the North Carolina High School Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame in 2022. In 2011, the Forsyth County Cross Country Championships were renamed the Norman Trzaskoma Invitational in his honor.

Even retirement could not keep Coach Traz away from the track. He continued coaching at Mount Tabor High School for another decade. For Norman, coaching was about much more than championships. It was about helping young people believe in themselves and reach their potential.

His commitment to young people extended far beyond athletics. Norman served in children’s ministry at First Assembly of God in Winston for more than four decades and volunteered each year with Royal Family KIDS Camp, a program serving children in the foster care system. The camp held a special birthday celebration for children who had never experienced a birthday party of their own, something that moved Norman to tears every year and spoke to the enormous heart he had for children. His many years of teaching in children’s ministry were a testament to his enduring faith and his desire to help young people know and experience the love of God, just as he had done in his early teen years.

For more than 15 years, Norman participated in Christmas for the City in Winston-Salem, making wooden toys for children in the community. In 2018 alone, he handcrafted 1,250 wooden toy cars in his own garage.

Above all, Norman treasured his family. He was tremendously proud of his son Benjamin, a biostatistician, his daughter Rachel, who earned her doctorate in psychology, and his three grandchildren. His family always knew how deeply they were loved.

Norman leaves behind an extraordinarily deep legacy of faith in his family and in the thousands of students, athletes, and children whose lives he touched. He spent a lifetime helping young people find their strength, push through challenges, and reach their own finish lines. His race was exceptionally well run.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

The family will receive friends on Sunday, August 16, 2026 from 4 to 7 pm at Frank Vogler and Sons in Clemmons. A funeral service will be held at 12 pm on Monday, August 17, 2026 at Redland Church IPHC, 137 Baltimore Rd, Advance, NC 27006. The family will receive friends on Monday at the church starting at 11 am. Interment will follow the service at Forsyth Memorial Park in Winston Salem.