Thomas Lloyd Norris, Jr., age 85, died at Rex Hospital on May 31, 2019. Tom was born in South Mills, Camden County, North Carolina on November 23, 1933, the eldest child of the late Thomas Lloyd and Florence Sharber Norris. While growing up, he began working in his father’s retail business after school and on Saturdays at an early age, performing miscellaneous tasks, then gradually graduating to waiting on customers and management of some aspects of the business. In June, 1951, he graduated from Elizabeth City High School.
In the summer of 1951, he was accepted into UNC Chapel Hill and into the Naval ROTC Program at UNC. The most important thing that happened to him during his undergraduate stay at UNC was that he met his future wife, Jane Carolyn Snyder, in early 1953. Within the year, they decided to marry but agreed to wait until she graduated from the UNC School of Nursing. On June 6, 1955, he received his commission as an Ensign (Supply Corps) in the Naval Reserve and his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and began a two-year active duty tour in the Navy.
While on his active duty tour, Jane and Tom were married on June 10, 1956. Tom was released from active duty in August 1957 and entered Law School at UNC Chapel Hill in September 1957. He remained in the Naval Reserve throughout law school and was promoted to full Lieutenant in 1959. He served on the board of student editors of the North Carolina Law Review. On June 6, 1960, he graduated from the UNC School of Law with the degree of Juris Doctor.
At about the same time he began a one year appointment as law clerk to the US District Court Judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Following his clerkship, Tom joined the law firm of Poyner, Geraghty, Hartsfield & Townsend in Raleigh as of September 1, 1961.
Tom became a partner in January 1967. Poyner, Geraghty, Hartsfield & Townsend and Spruill & Spruill merged effective January 1, 1986; and Tom remained a partner in the merged firm until going of counsel. His principal areas of practice were corporations, tax, qualified retirement plans, and estate planning.
Tom was a fellow in the American College of Tax Counsel and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He served as a member then chairman of the North Carolina Bar Association Tax Committee and its Retirement Plan Committee and was a member of the NC Bar Association Board of Governors for a three year term. He was a founding member and 20 years Board member of Lawyers Mutual Liability Insurance Company. He served one term on the North Carolina State Tax Study Commission.
Apart from the law, Tom was a member of the Sphinx Club as well as several genealogical organizations, including the Society of the Cincinnati and First Families of North Carolina. He and Jane traveled throughout the North American continent, Europe and the UK, the Far East, and the Mediterranean. Tom enjoyed photography as a hobby. He served three terms as a member of the Tryon Palace Commission and the Tryon Palace Foundation. He served three terms as a trustee of the North Carolina Symphony Foundation, and two terms as a trustee of the North Carolina Symphony Society, Inc. He was a member of the Raleigh Moravian Church where he served as treasurer for 39 years and was on numerous boards and committees.
Tom is survived by his wife, Jane Snyder Norris; four daughters, Laura Norris Pecoraro and husband Bob, Carolyn Elizabeth Norris and husband Marc Fowler, Margaret Ann Norris and husband Keith Stirewalt, and Florence Norris Mathon and husband Bernie; sister, Margaret Norris Wilshusen; 10 grandchildren, Edward Pecoraro, Lillian Pecoraro, Vincent Pecoraro, Kathryn Stirewalt Brown and husband Jon, Thomas Stirewalt, Christopher Stirewalt, Temujin Norris, Eli Norris, Kyla Mathon, and Danielle Mathon; and two great grandchildren, Bryce Brown and Audrey Kate Brown.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, June 5 at 11:00 am at Raleigh Moravian Church, 1816 Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607, followed by a reception and visitation with the family in the fellowship hall.
Memorials may be made to Raleigh Moravian Church or to the North Carolina Symphony, 3700 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 130, Raleigh, NC 27612.
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh.
