David E. Norris passed away Aug. 27 at the age of 74. One of his favorite quotes was: "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, loudly proclaiming, 'Wow, what a ride!'"
He was born on May 14, 1944, and lived most of his life in Wichita, Kansas. He attended North High School, where he played football and wrestled, and the University of Kansas, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and earned his undergraduate degree in education and his Masters in Business Administration. After graduation, he taught school and coached in Central Kansas and worked in banking in Chicago. As his father's business, Dean E. Norris Plumbing, grew, Norris was asked to return to Wichita from Chicago to help manage and expand the firm.