November 19, 1951 ~ April 8, 2026 (age 74)
Leland Norman, Jr. Obituary
Leland Carroll Norman, Jr., of Garrison, TX, passed away on April 8, 2026, after a long and courageous battle with lymphoma. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, on November 19, 1951, he was the beloved son of Leland Carroll Norman, Sr. and Peggy Jean Willoughby Norman.
A lifelong learner and lover of discovery, Lee graduated from La Porte High School and earned a degree in Physics with a Mathematics minor from the University of Houston in 1973. He began his career as an engineer with M.W. Kellogg, taking night classes at South Texas College of Law along the way and eventually earning his law degree in 1979. Later, he was employed by Askey Investments and directed their Color-Tec business. Alongside his professional pursuits, he shared his love of music as a trumpet player in the Houston Concert Band.
In 1998, Lee moved to East Texas, where he discovered his true calling: teaching Sunday School and playing trumpet for the church. With a self-taught devotion to theology, he brought the stories of the Bible to life, weaving language, history, and culture into lessons as complex as they were captivating. Those who attended his classes quickly realized that his intellect was matched only by his childlike wonder and delight in exploring the unknown. He continued playing trumpet at church until illness made it impossible, and classical music remained a lifelong passion.
Lee is survived by his three children, Will Norman & wife Caroline and their children Cora and Brooks; Stephanie Cooper and Jessica McDonald & husband Danial and their son Jackson. He is also survived by his brother David Norman, Sr. & wife, Karen; sister Melanie Hoy; nephews, David Norman, Clayton Norman and Shake Hoy-Smith and nieces, Autumn Stratton, Shannon Baker Hoy and Kendall Brown.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leland Carroll Norman, Sr. and Peggy Jean Willoughby Norman.
Lee will be remembered for his brilliance, wit, and curiosity, his love for teaching and music, and his passion for connecting the dots between knowledge and faith. He had an unparalleled knack for making the complex seem both fascinating and, occasionally, hilariously more complicated.
Memorial services will be held at Holly Springs Baptist Church in Garrison, Texas on April 14, 2026 at 3:00 pm.
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