Vernon Raymond Norris

Vernon is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Diane Royer Norris; his daughter, Jessica Norris Callaham and her husband Steve; grandchildren Ryan and Madeline. He is preceded in death by his parents, Farold and Marie Norris.

Vernon was born in Washington DC on October 15, 1946. He attended the University of Maryland and upon graduation in 1968, joined the Air Force pilot training program. In 1971, he met Diane at Capon Springs, a family resort in West Virginia where he often vacationed with his parents as a child, and they were married a year later. After serving in the Air Force, he began his career with Delta Airlines in 1973. During his 30-year career as a pilot, he rose to the rank of international captain before retiring in 2003.

Vernon loved music. This inspired him to play the piano, apprentice as a piano tuner, and volunteer at the Atlanta Opera. He also loved hiking Stone Mountain many times per week and was active in Birds of a Feather International where he dedicated his time and support to fellow pilots.

Vernon’s greatest love was travel. He thoroughly enjoyed discovering and learning about new destinations and sharing his knowledge with friends and family. During retirement, he fulfilled a dream of owning a vacation home in Hawaii and spent a lot of time there hiking and exploring the islands. He also planned memorable family trips to Disney, Hawaii, Washington DC, and the Grand Canyon. Every year, he looked forward to the annual family trip to Capon Springs and visiting the family farmhouse with Diane’s extended family. When he was not traveling, he was very active in attending Ryan’s golf tournaments and Madeline’s gymnastics competitions.

Private services for the family will be held in the coming week, and interment will be at the Georgia National Cemetery in October. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be sent to the Gary Sinise Foundation at www.garysinisefoundation.org/donate/ or the Tallulah Falls School Vernon Norris Memorial Scholarship Fund at www.tallulahfalls.org/advancement/donate-now.cms