Robert E. Norton, Jr.

Robert Emmett Norton Jr., a true son of Baltimore with an unbridled love of the Orioles and an uncanny knowledge of the best places to eat in the city’s Little Italy, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Oct. 12 after a short illness. Bob was a week shy of his 82nd birthday.

Bob had a remarkable nearly half-century career in the practice of corporate law. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame Law School, he began as an associate at the law firm of Shearman and Sterling in New York City. Later, he became a Corporate Lawyer at PepsiCo in Purchase, New York and for 15 years he served as the General Counsel at MasterCard International. Even after retiring from MasterCard, Bob couldn’t stay away for long, going back to the law as the general counsel for Diligent Boardbooks until his retirement.

Despite a schedule that took him all over the world throughout his career, Bob always put his wife, Marie McManus Norton, and his children and grandchildren first. Nothing was more important to Bob than family, and he spent hours going over baseball plays, playing guitar and taking long walks with his grandchildren. His generosity of spirit always extended to Marie’s large family, whom he hosted for holidays and for so many family celebrations for decades.

Although he raised his family in Westchester County, New York, his roots were in Baltimore and that is where Bob returned after retirement. He was born Oct. 19, 1942, the son of Robert Emmet Norton and Concetta (Liberto) Norton. His father was a Major in the Baltimore City Police Department. Bob graduated from St. Joseph’s Prep in 1960, and four years later from Loyola University in Maryland, where he began a long family tradition of Loyola Greyhounds.

After graduation, he attended Officer Candidate School and became a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, proudly serving in Northern Ireland and in Vietnam. Even in Vietnam, his Baltimore roots were prominent, when his idol, the legendary Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson came to visit the troops with the USO. Bob was out on a mission at the time, but when he returned exhausted that night, he found Brooks Robinson in the barracks, having waited 12 hours to meet Bob, the man who was a lifelong fan. When Robinson returned to Baltimore, he called Bob’s mother to tell her he had met her son and he was doing well.

After the war, Bob started law school at Notre Dame, where he graduated in 1972 and where he met classmates who would become friends for his entire life. The small group would meet for reunions regularly as their careers and their families grew.

It was after Notre Dame that Bob met his bride, Marie McManus. They married in 1973, and in August, celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary – in Baltimore, naturally, where, they had retired.

In addition to Marie, Bob is survived by sons Robert Emmet Norton III (Raechelle), and Kevin Norton (Sandra), two daughters, Donna Moran (Jason) and Elizabeth Norton, six grandchildren, Mia, Oliver, Sarah, Kiera, Eamon, and Maeve; his beloved brother Michael Norton (Theresa), sister Kathy Robertson (the late Jerry) , and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends in the LEMMON FUNERAL HOME OF DULANEY VALLEY INC., 10 W. Padonia Road (at York Road) Timonium, Maryland 21093 on Thursday, October 17, 2024 from 5 to 8 pm.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated in Church of The Immaculate Conception, 200 Ware Avenue, Towson, Maryland 21204 on Friday, October 18, 2024 at 10 am. Interment Private.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be directed in Mr. Norton’s memory to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516 and/or University of Notre Dame, Department of Development, 1100 Grace Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556.