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Norman M. Walker
Norman M. Walker of Rye NH, formerly of Newton MA, age 73, peacefully departed this life August 22, 2011, after a 3 year battle with brain cancer, comforted by Phyllis, his wife of 53 years. He is survived by his children: Diane (O’Halloran), Heather (Wiltshire), Norman Walker, James Walker, Janet (Aronson), Steve Walker, Jennifer (Hemmen), Tara (Hamer), 18 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, and his sister, Judy Palmer of CA. He was predeceased by a daughter, Julie, in 1987.
Walker was born in Waterville, Maine on September 5th, 1937. His family moved to Massachusetts, where, inspired by his father, a former Olympic hockey player, teacher and coach who died young, he evolved into a student leader- scholar-athlete at Scituate and Swampscott High Schools. He continued to excel graduating from Williams College in 1959 and earning a Master’s degree from Harvard’s School of Education.
Further inspired by teacher and coach mentors, he embarked on a long and highly successful career as a literature and poetry teacher as well as coach in the Massachusetts public school system. Norm started his career at Newton South with the bulk of his 25 years at Newton North. He also spent a short but successful time at Wayland High School winning a Class D title in Football. His team reached the Bowl twice at Newton North, resulting in his being named Massachusetts Coach of the Year for football as well as for wrestling.
After 25 years of teaching and coaching, when many people would have been thinking about retirement, Norm started his second career. In 1984, he accepted an offer to teach at the Holderness School in Plymouth, NH. Over the course of 23 years, in addition to introducing another thousand or so students to the power of literature and poetry, he coached the Holderness football team to an 83-1 record which included 8 New England championships (6 wins).
Norm’s advice in the form of letters written over the years to students and colleagues, and compiled in his book Teachers: Second Edition, best show what a remarkable teacher and mentor he was:
To players, end of season: “The most difficult moment in any season is that moment when it ends. All the bonding through hard work, all the camaraderie, all the pride and courage and honor and humor, all melt into the woods surrounding the field, to join the spirit of past Holderness teams, to reside in some other dimension where the boys who don the blue will reach out to that force to help in their challenges…”
To colleagues: “First, don’t ever shirk giving criticism or exposing students to their weaknesses or strengths. To fail them there is to fail entirely…help students to touch the essence of the underlying, ethereal dream we live, to feel it in their guts. Live life passionately yourself as teachers and show students how to do the same.”
Holderness School created the Norman M. Walker Scholarship Fund to provide financial assistance to promising students, and in the fall of 2010 dedicated the football field, co-naming it the Walker-Hinman Field. In lieu of flowers, donations to support the Norm Walker Scholarship Fund would be greatly appreciated. Donations should be sent to: Holderness School P.O., Box 1879, Plymouth, NH 03264.
His family, friends and students will miss him beyond measure.
Norman will be waked Thursday August 25, 2011, from 5-8 p.m. at the Stockbridge Funeral Home, Exeter NH, at 141 Epping Rd., exit 9 off route 101. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday August 26 at Saint Michael Church, 9 Lincoln St. /RT. 111, Exeter NH.
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Visitation -
Thursday, August 25, 20115 - 8 pm
Stockbridge Funeral Home141 Epping RoadExeter, New Hampshire
Service -
Friday, August 26, 201111:00 am
St. Michaels Church Corner of Front & Lincoln StreetsExeter, New Hampshire
