Norman died of a heart attack on March 16, 1994, at the age of 52, in Decatur, Alabama.
He was survived by his wife, Katie Pritchett Harris of the home; one son, Norman West Harris, III of Decatur; two daughters, Ruth Pressley Harris of Aspen, Colo, and Margaret Nixon Harris, student at Birmingham Southern College; his father, retired attorney Norman West Harris of Decatur; and one sister, Pattye Harris Leggett of Charlottesville, Va.
He was a private attorney and served as chief executive officer of West Ellis Investment Management Inc. in Decatur. Before this position, he was a member of the law firm of Harris and Harris which became Harris, Caddell, and Shanks of Decatur. He specialized in tax law.
He was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church where he served on the vestry.
He graduated from the University of Alabama Law School; joined the U.S. Army; went to Japan; and earned a tax law degree from New York University.
In high school, Norman was one of the stars of the football team. He played varsity for four years and lettered three. Norman and I enjoyed scouting as members of Explorer Post 19.
Norman worked hard and put in long hours helping his clients as a tax attorney. Many times he would put in hours without pay.
Like everyone in our class, I knew Norman, but we did not run in the same circles. Norman was a great football player, but as a student he was generally indifferent. After graduation I did not see or hear anything about Norman, until one day in the early 80's when I ran into him at a tax siminar at Point Clear. At first I could not believe it was really him, but then he told me his remarkable story.
Norman admitted that he was a disinterested student in high school, and even worse at college at The university of Alabama. After having been put on academic probation several times, and having been kicked out and readmitted at least once, he was finally kicked out with a permanent bar to readmission. That is when he joined the Army, and was sent to Japan. Norman told me that the Army helped him finally grow up and realize what life was all about. He basically credited the Army with saving his life.
While in the Army, he began taking college level courses and did very well. After his discharge, he went to see the Dean at UofA and showed them the evidence of his transformation and convinced them to give his another chance. The Dean relented and Norman blew though under grad school with flying colors, had an outstanding law school career, and was admitted to, and graduted from the country's most prestigious tax school at NYU. Among his clients at the time was The University of Alabama. Ironic or what.
As we talked, I realized that the devil-may-care boy I had known at DHS, had grown into one of the most focused, intense lawyers I had ever seen. Later, one of my law partners who had worked with Norman on some matters, confirmed that Norman was one of the smartest and hardest working lawyers he had ever met--what we sometimes call a workaholic. Like many of our classmates he died much too young, but I know he crammed a lot of living into his 52 years.
Bob Thomas
Bob Thomas:Norman died of a heart attack on March 16, 1994, at the age of 52, in Decatur, Alabama.
He was survived by his wife, Katie Pritchett Harris of the home; one son, Norman West Harris, III of Decatur; two daughters, Ruth Pressley Harris of Aspen, Colo, and Margaret Nixon Harris, student at Birmingham Southern College; his father, retired attorney Norman West Harris of Decatur; and one sister, Pattye Harris Leggett of Charlottesville, Va.
He was a private attorney and served as chief executive officer of West Ellis Investment Management Inc. in Decatur. Before this position, he was a member of the law firm of Harris and Harris which became Harris, Caddell, and Shanks of Decatur. He specialized in tax law.
He was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church where he served on the vestry.
He graduated from the University of Alabama Law School; joined the U.S. Army; went to Japan; and earned a tax law degree from New York University.
In high school, Norman was one of the stars of the football team. He played varsity for four years and lettered three. Norman and I enjoyed scouting as members of Explorer Post 19.
Norman worked hard and put in long hours helping his clients as a tax attorney. Many times he would put in hours without pay.
Richard Allen
Like everyone in our class, I knew Norman, but we did not run in the same circles. Norman was a great football player, but as a student he was generally indifferent. After graduation I did not see or hear anything about Norman, until one day in the early 80's when I ran into him at a tax siminar at Point Clear. At first I could not believe it was really him, but then he told me his remarkable story.Norman admitted that he was a disinterested student in high school, and even worse at college at The university of Alabama. After having been put on academic probation several times, and having been kicked out and readmitted at least once, he was finally kicked out with a permanent bar to readmission. That is when he joined the Army, and was sent to Japan. Norman told me that the Army helped him finally grow up and realize what life was all about. He basically credited the Army with saving his life.
While in the Army, he began taking college level courses and did very well. After his discharge, he went to see the Dean at UofA and showed them the evidence of his transformation and convinced them to give his another chance. The Dean relented and Norman blew though under grad school with flying colors, had an outstanding law school career, and was admitted to, and graduted from the country's most prestigious tax school at NYU. Among his clients at the time was The University of Alabama. Ironic or what.
As we talked, I realized that the devil-may-care boy I had known at DHS, had grown into one of the most focused, intense lawyers I had ever seen. Later, one of my law partners who had worked with Norman on some matters, confirmed that Norman was one of the smartest and hardest working lawyers he had ever met--what we sometimes call a workaholic. Like many of our classmates he died much too young, but I know he crammed a lot of living into his 52 years.