Prof. Joseph Jude Norton

Preceded in death by his parents, John and Cecelia Norton, Joe is survived by his beloved wife of over 50 years, Colleen, and their children Danielle Norton-Yaryan; and Maree Sutton, husband David; and their three grandchildren William, Alexa and Ashleigh. He is also survived by his big brother, Jim.

Born on September 15, 1945 in Providence, Rhode Island, he spent his youth in Rhode Island with his brother and life-long friends. Joe met the love of his life, Colleen, in Dallas, Texas, where his brother lived across the street from her childhood home, while Joe was studying in Austin. Joe and Colleen were married on July 3, 1973, in Dallas. They moved into their home on White Rock Lake in Dallas in 1977 where they settled permanently and Joe passed away peacefully. Joe may have been from New England, but he sure had a Texas-sized heart for hosting guests at their home. He and Colleen hosted loads of pool parties, BBQs and his famous New England lobster boils, crab and clam cakes and chowder for family, friends, colleagues and students, including annual classes of SMU International LL.M. students, who they also took to the legendary Mesquite Rodeo, the State Fair of Texas, and other Dallas institutions.

Joe, Colleen and the girls enjoyed traveling and visiting friends throughout the world, and enjoyed living together in London for four years. They have fond memories of their 25th wedding anniversary trip to Victoria Falls and Botswana and their holidays at their lake house in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Joe loved Colleen, their daughters and their grandchildren with all his heart.

Joe was a scholar. He earned his A.B. in Political Science from Providence College, his LL.B. (hons.) from the University of Edinburgh, an LL.M. from the University of Texas at Austin, another LL.M. and his S.J.D. from the University of Michigan, his Diplome at Académie de Droit International de La Haye, his D. Phil. from Oxford University and his LL.D. from the University of London, and was conferred an LL.D. (hc) from the University of Stockholm.

Joe began practicing law with Locke Purnell in Dallas in 1972 where he was an associate, partner, director and, after becoming a law professor, a consultant. He became a full-time Professor of Law at SMU in 1982, and continued consulting with several major Dallas law firms throughout the years, including their London offices. He served as the Sir Lohn Lubbock Professorship in Banking Law at the University of London, the James L. Walsh Distinguished faculty Fellow and Professor of Financial Law at SMU, and many, many other distinguished professorships including at Harvard, University of Hong Kong, Universities of Peking and Shanghai, the Mandala Institute, Johannesburg University, Soochow University and Duke. He created numerous law institutions and publications, organized and hosted countless law conferences, and authored countless books, chapters and articles.

The complete list of Joe’s academic and professional accomplishments are far too many to be listed here. In a nutshell, Joe was one of the most extraordinarily accomplished lawyers and scholars of our era. It is impossible to describe the prolific impact Joe had on the development of international finance law and on so many of his colleagues and students all over the world. Joe is known as the beneficent pater familias of international finance law in the world. And literally dozens of lawyers and scholars credit Joe for his endless support in helping them reach where they are today in law practice as well as scholarship. He taught and mentored hundreds of J.D. and LL.M. students and successfully supervised over 45 Ph.D./S.J.D. students. Joe loved collaborating with colleagues at universities, NGOs, corporations, banks and governments across the world. Not for his own benefit, but for the benefit of developing better law and institutions for people, and to further develop others to do the same.

Joe was a man of integrity, noble character, honor and impeccable values. Most importantly, Joe was a man of immense faith. He loved the Lord and always wished God’s abundant blessings upon those he saw and wrote.

Suffice it to say, a truly amazing human has departed from our earth, and his many friends, family, colleagues, mentees, former law students and other admirers will miss him terribly. To many of us, it is the end of an era without our Joe Norton here on earth. He was one of a kind, truly inspirational, and there will never be another like him. Incredibly brilliant, caring, loving, funny, humble and loyal, he will live on in the hearts of family and friends who remember him as the best husband, father, grandfather, brother, colleague, professor, scholar, mentor and friend anyone could be. We give thanks to God for his wonderful time here on earth and his legacy that will live on forever through generations to come.

A visitation for Joe will be held on Saturday, June 15, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (with the Rosary from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.) at Grove Hill Funeral Home, 3920 Samuell Blvd., Dallas, Texas 75228. A funeral mass will occur on Monday, June 17, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. also at Grove Hill Funeral Home, 3920 Samuell Blvd., Dallas, Texas 75228. A committal will occur on Monday, June 17, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Calvary Hill Funeral Home, 3235 Lombardy Ln., Dallas, Texas 75220. Both the funeral mass and committal will be live streamed at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/dallas-tx/joseph-norton-11852857.

In lieu of sending flowers, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, as he thoroughly enjoyed living across the street from the beautiful gardens (https://www.dallasarboretum.org/support/donate/tributes-program/) or to KERA as he was a longtime supporter (https://www.kera.org/donate/). All donations made to the Dallas Arboretum in tribute to Joe, will go towards a tree in the Dallas Arboretum with a plaque in his honor. As we remember our beloved Joe, we will take comfort in having been a part and shaped by his outstanding life.

Thoughts for the Day (directly from Joe):

"Don't let the old man in!"- TK for Clint Eastwood (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc5AWImplfE )

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good (people) do nothing. (Edmund Burke)

Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it...one’s responsibility is to do the right thing. (Aung San Suo Kyi)