G. Todd Norvell

Well-educated and inquisitive, Todd’s wry sense of humor delighted friend and family alike. A devoted family man, in 1964 Todd wed fellow Roxana High and Knox college graduate, Lorelei Lehwalder, and later became the proud father of sons Forrest (b. 1972) and Owen (b. 1978), sending both sons and wife through colleges in style. A talented draftsman and woodworker with an exquisite sense of architectural style, he was at his happiest dreaming up a new remodel, which began as a blizzard of notes on small pieces of paper that eventually turned into scale drawings on graph paper followed by the inevitable three-dimensional models. He was great at telling dirty jokes, had an enduring fondness for cryptic aphorisms, and is survived by three cats in addition to his human family.

Memories of his family’s travel from Illinois to California in their 1951 Nash prompted Todd’s 1985 sabbatical with wife and sons in the ‘great roving land tuna,’ covering 33 states and 5 provinces in 85 days; the next year he and Lorelei cycled through southwestern Montana and Yellowstone, with Todd pedaling 200 miles in four days on his bright red Strawberry. He accompanied Lorelei on numerous mycological forays — Great Smokies National Park (1999), Costa Rica (2000), Australia (2006)—but from 2002–2009 he was happiest crisscrossing the continent in his Silverado & Northern Light camper, logging over 100,000 miles in US and Canadian forest campgrounds. On his spring and fall treks, Todd read history in the morning, listened to biographies in the afternoons while searching out a new ‘Road Food’ eatery, and read Sandford, Connelly, Child or other mystery novels while bird-watching in the evenings. A superb chef who taught both sons to cook, he always sought the next best place, whether it be Big John’s (Peoria), Alder Steak House (Montana), Tuba City Truck Stop Café (Arizona), Carolina Barbecue (North Carolina), Doe’s Eat Place (Mississippi), Smitty’s Market (Lockhart, Texas), or Podnah’s Pit & Masu (Portland).

Todd was born on April 16, 1942, to Gerald O. Norvell and Gwen Elizabeth (Todd) Norvell in Alton, Illinois, and lived his first 22 years in the neighboring town of Roxana. After graduating from Roxana Community High School as a 1960 National Merit finalist, he first attended the University of Illinois where he picketed compulsory ROTC but received his A.B. (cum laude) in history as a Distinguished Military Graduate in June 1964 at Knox College (Galesburg, Illinois). After a brief stint working on the wet line at Olin Mathieson powder mill after graduation and wedding, Todd entered the U.S. Army in October. After completing the Infantry Officer Basic Leader Course at Fort Benning in January 1965 and two U.S. Army Intelligence School courses at Fort Holabird in May, Todd was assigned to the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood, only to be reassigned in July to the 191st Military Intelligence Detachment, First Air Cavalry Division. Todd shipped out to Vietnam with the main body of the Air Cav on the USNS Darby and was in country at An Khe in the central highlands by September. First Lt. Norvell served with distinction on operations in Binh Dinh, Kon Tum, and Pleiku provinces and was honorably discharged from active service with a superior rating before returning to the states in August 1966. He remained in the US Army Reserve until May 1970.

In September 1966 Todd entered the University of Texas Law School at Austin, clerking summers for Austin Legal Aid in 1967 and for a Denver law firm in 1968. As a 1967–1969 editor of Texas Law Review, he and Alexander W. Bell published “Texas welfare appeals: the hidden right” and “Air pollution control in Texas.” Todd received his J.D. in May 1969 and passed the Oregon Bar that August after joining King, Miller, Anderson, Nash & Yerke where he specialized in corporate tax, mergers, and acquisitions. During his law career, he served on several corporate boards, including the Oregon School of Arts & Crafts and also served as early president of the Forest Park Neighborhood Association. He retired as senior partner on June 30, 2002, after which he served as legal counsel for Copeland Lumber Company during its final disposition

Although diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in the early seventies, Todd stayed active and remained a devoted care-giver and father until the end. The friendships he formed at school, in the army, and at the firm were enduring and strong, and he leaves behind a legacy of love, endless good (and frequently ignored) advice, and mordant wit. He is profoundly missed.

Todd was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Lorelei, sons Forrest (Alia Rayl) and Owen (Ronecca) Norvell, grandson Todd Porter Norvell, sister Katherine (David) Trimm, nephews Patrick (Terri) and Phillip Trimm, and ancillary son Jesse (Dawn) Stricker.

In lieu of a funeral or memorial service, Todd’s family suggests that donations be made to either the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Oregon & SW Washington or the Oregon Humane Society.

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