Obituary of James W. Norris

James (Jim) Wilson Norris was born in Grinnell, Iowa on August 22nd, 1934. He was the son of Paul Rueben Norris and Mae Wilson Norris of Grinnell, IA. After graduating from Grinnell College, Jim served as a United States Navy officer on the USS Finch. In recognition of his military service, on October 18, 2016, he was selected to participate in the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight to Washington, DC. Jim also served and retired from the United States Postal Service after performing many jobs including helping postal workers with substance abuse. Jim loved history and serving others, and helped preserve history by volunteering at the President Herbert Hoover Library in West Branch, IA . In that role, he helped preserve the history of the 31st President of the United States. Residents of Iowa City knew Jim as the friendly man who walked throughout downtown. His nephews, great nieces, and great nephews remarked about how many people knew Jim as an avid Iowa City pedestrian. Oaknoll Residence in Iowa City was the community Jim chose as his home for his final 17 years of life. Jim was loved there and known for his friendliness, and his willingness to help others. Jim passed away October 1, 2022 and was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Sara Lee Joslin, and his nephew, Stephen Scott Bauserman of Osage, IA. He is survived by Scott’s wife, Deanne Bauserman of Osage, IA and their three daughters Elyse (Chodur), husband Dan, Erica (Koster), husband Kray, and Leah (Low) and husband Christopher, as well as their children. Jim is also survived by nephew, Brad Bauserman of Boise, ID and son, Maxwell, of Lexington, KY. Jim Norris, in his final act of selfless and love of science, donated his body to research at the University of Iowa Medical School.