Dr. Sigurd Johns Normann's Obituary
Dr. Sigurd Johns Normann, 80 years old, passed away on April 4, 2016 after a 7 year battle with multiple myeloma.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on October 24, 1935 to the late Theodore and Bird Normann, the family moved to Seattle in 1939 when Theodore was appointed professor of piano in the music department at the University of Washington (UW). Dr. Normann graduated from Lakeside High School in Seattle, where he was valedictorian. After attending the UW for 3 years (chemistry and economics), he was admitted to their medical school where he received his MD degree with honors in 1960. After a surgical internship at the University of California, San Francisco, he returned to the UW for a combined research and residency program that culminated in 1966 with a Ph.D. in Pathology. From 1966-1968, he was a captain of the Walter Reed Army Research and Development Command at Frederick, Maryland where his research was awarded a Certificate of Achievement by Assistant General of the Army at the West Point Science conference.
Dr. Normann joined the faculty at the University of Florida in 1968 where he remained until his retirement as an Emeritus Professor in 2010. With a Research and Development Award from the National Institutes of Health, he did cancer immunology research (1974-75) at the Swiss Institute for Medical Research, Davos, Switzerland, that led to a Swiss consultancy and a laboratory directorship from 1976 to 1989. Combined with his research at the University of Florida, he published 86 peer reviewed papers, 3 books, 14 book chapters and made numerous presentations. Following his year as President of the Society for Leukocyte Biology in 1979, he organized the international conference that in 1982 celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the discovery of the macrophage.
After a 6 month fellowship in cardiovascular pathology at Northwick Park Hospital, London, he became chief of Cardiovascular Pathology at Shands and at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in 1975 and director of cardiac transplant pathology in 1984. He remained in these positions until his retirement in 2010. From 2002 to 2007, he chaired the College of Medicine Faculty Compensation Committee, whose revised plan covered 23 departments and was based on quality performance.
In 1990, Dr. Normann was appointed Director of Pathology Education where his two courses in General and Systemic Pathology won the Golden Apple award three times for the best taught basic science course. In addition, Dr. Normann received the University’s College of Medicine Teacher of the Year Award in 1995 and was 3 times voted best basic science teacher by the senior medical students. He served on the Academic Status Committee, Medical Admissions Committee, and Curriculum Committee. In 2004, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the College of Medicine, in 2006 by the University’s Distinguished Teacher Award and in 2009 by the Sustained Excellence Award in Medical Education by the Society of Teaching Scholars.
One of Dr. Normann’s passions was volunteering for the American Cancer Society (ACS) where he served on the Alachua Unit Board of Directors, the Florida Division, and National committees. During his term as President of the Florida Division, he led the effort to create the Florida Biomedical Research Program, which since 1999 has channeled millions of dollars towards medical research and provided inspirational leadership to his fellow volunteers. He served on the Florida Biomedical Research Council from 2000 to 2007. At ACS National, he served on the National Assembly, Peer Reviewers Advisory Committee, Research and the Medical Affairs Committee and the Colorectal Cancer Task Force. Dr. Normann’s remarkable service included membership on many Florida Division committees over the years, including tobacco policy, field operations, public policy, and two Hope Lodge task forces. He received the American Cancer Society’s National-Divisional Award (the St. George Award) in 2005. There are over 3 million volunteers with the American Cancer Society and it was a singular honor to be selected by the ACS National Board as the 2012 National Leadership Volunteer of the year.
Dr. Normann is survived by his loving, devoted wife of 35 years, LeJene, by two daughters, Jennifer Cybul, Atlanta, GA and Elizabeth McCann (John), Tallahassee, FL, and four grandchildren (Avery and Emily Cybul and Patrick and Connor McCann). Among his pastimes, Dr. Normann enjoyed hiking and skiing in the Pacific Northwest, Canadian Rockies and the Swiss Alps. He and LeJene enjoyed gardening, time spent with friends, and travels to near and far lands.
Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
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