J. Norwood Evans, of Shore Drive, passed away, March 30, at his home.
He was a long time resident of Westminster-Canterbury. He was the son of the late J. Curtis Evans and Etta Moore Evans, born in York County, Va., on April 19, 1915. His siblings, both deceased, were Janet Evans Murray and Robley C. Evans.
He graduated from Hampton High School, where he earned full scholarship to the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg; and to Randolph Macon College in Ashland, Va. After three years attending year round at one or the other college, he received his B.A. degree from Randolph-Macon College.
Mr. Evans' mother died in 1918, during the flu epidemic, when he was four years old. His father took the little boy with him on his commercial fishing and freight boat until he was old enough to attend Hampton Elementary School, where he lived with relatives. As he got older he spent time traveling with his father and later his brother on their boat to many parts of the world. He had lost his right arm at the shoulder in a hunting accident when he was 12 years old. His therapy and rehabilitation at that time enabled him to tie a neck tie and his shoe laces and dress himself immaculately. He was an excellent cook, having learned from the cooks aboard his father's boat.
After graduating from Randolph-Macon, where he had helped support himself by running a small snack business in the dormitory, he taught school for a short while and was the principal of Hampton High School for one session of summer school. In 1941, he began his long term government career, first with NACA, which was forerunner of NASA, where he was the Personnel Director of NASA, at Langley, before and during the initial years of the Space program. He traveled extensively in the United States searching for key personnel. During that time at NASA, he met many of the early astronauts. He retired from NASA in 1972.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at Westminster-Canterbury, 3100 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, in the Holy Trinity Chapel.
The family would like to express their deep appreciation to the staff at the Hoy Center, especially 1B. Their love and concern was wonderful. Also, many thanks to the Odyssey Chapter of Hospice for the comfort given to Norwood.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contribution to the American Parkinson Disease Association, Parkinson Plaza 135 Parkinson Avenue,
Staten Island, NY 10305 or Westminster-Canterbury Foundation, 3100 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
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