Hugh Andrews Norris

He was preceded in death by his wives Ara Stuart Norris, and Patrice Wallace Norris; brother, Charles Nye Norris; and his parents Hugh and Nye Norris.

He began employment with the Panama Canal Company as a helper on the locks while still in High School. After graduating from Balboa High School in 1940, he attended Canal Zone College and then entered an electrical apprenticeship.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor he volunteered as an air raid warden and proudly served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, and left afterwards returning to the Panama Canal as an electrician. He left this employment to complete a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a master's degree in Economics at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. For the next three years Hugh was an associate professor of Economics and Foreign Trade.

In 1953 he returned to the Panama Canal Zone as an electrician. During a reorganization of the Panama Canal Company in 1954, the Board of Directors felt the Company needed an economist and he was appointed as their first Economist. In this position he traveled around the world several times visiting shipping companies to predict future shipping demands for the Panama Canal. He served in this position for 18 years while in the Executive Planning Staff before becoming Deputy Director, Chief of the Planning Division in 1972. He was appointed as Director of Executive Planning for the Panama Canal Company in 1977 a position he held until his retirement from the Panama Canal Company in 1979.

Over the years he was active in the Boy Scout program, first as a scout master and then as the treasurer for the Canal Zone Boy Scout Council who awarded him the Silver Beaver Award for his service. He was also the Executive Director for the United Way and on the Board of Directors at the Summit Golf Club. He retired to Dothan, Alabama where he remained for over twenty-five years enjoying golfing, fishing and traveling.

In 2003 he moved to San Antonio, Texas to be close to his family and resided at the Inn at Los Patios where he enjoyed many friends and fishing on the Salado Creek.

He is survived by his son James Hugh Norris, daughter-in-law Lina, and granddaughter Ara Nye Norris; Susan Diego, Chip, Jay and Patrice Wallace, Deane James, and grandson Sam Beck; sister Lillian Norris Schwarz, sister-in-law Vara Stuart Heyman, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Hugh was known to those who loved him as Papa, and he would always close with, "see you in church."