Norman Thomas Devereux, 75
Norman Thomas Devereux died peacefully Dec. 17, 2010, at Creekside Inn Alzheimer Community in Coeur d'Alene where he had resided for the past two years. Norman was born June 29, 1935, to Jack and Leona Devereux in Butler, Wis., and was raised from a young age in Los Angeles, Calif.
He graduated from John Fremont High School in Los Angeles where he was active in gymnastics and later loved diving and earned his spending money diving for lobsters. He served honorably in the United State Navy Reserve from 1953 until 1961.
He completed training for Airframe and Power plant Mechanics at Northrop Aeronautical Institute in 1955.
He met and married Margaret Norris in 1961 at Wayfarer's Chapel in Palos Verde, Calif.
They had two children who survive him; Christa (Jeff) Jackson, Studio City, Calif., and Craig Devereux of Manhattan Beach, Calif. Two granddaughters Carly Jackson and Laurel Jackson of Studio City also survive him.
Norman and Margaret shared a love of flying and both became pilots a few months apart in 1966. Their instructor was Dene Jones of Hayden who has been a lifelong friend.
Norm built and flew a Mustang II from a set of plans. His first flight was May 5, 1982, with Instructor Dene Jones and logged more than 1,000 hours. He won Best Mustang at Oshkosh, Wis., Air Show in 1982. He also flew across the United States eight times and won other awards loving the attention this airplane received at Fly Inn's. He was a member of Experimental Aircraft Association in Mohave, Calif., for many years.
Margaret passed away in 1977 after a brief battle with breast cancer. Norm and Margaret were married for 17 years. Norm built homes and designed homes in the Southern California area with Margaret's father Jim Norris. He also worked for his father. Jack, at Beverly Beverage. He became a firefighter in 1959 for Los Angeles City Fire Department as a combination firefighter EMT where he served until his retirement in 1986.
In 1972 Norm designed and built his family home in Agua Dulce, Calif., where he lived until 2002. Norman met and married Lenell Hannah Pitney in 1991 and as they say it was "love at first glance." Married in 1992 they moved in 2002 to Hayden Lake. Norm and Lenell were married for 18 years.
He is survived by wife Lenell as well as her children, Ben (Linda) Pitney, Tucson, Ariz., Phillip (Savana) Pitney, Woodbine, Md., Eydie (Blake ) Okland, Charlotte, N.C., and their children who called Norm Poppy ... Kambria and Mitchell Pitney, Brielle and Calvin Pitney and Abigail, Audrey and Noelle Okland. Sister Donna Engle, Murrieta, Calif., also survives as well as nephew Don Engle and niece Laree McDonald and uncle Noel (Cinzi) Devereux, Downey, Calif.
During Norm's final years in Idaho he has had two faithful furry friends, Lily and Sassy his West Highland Terriers who loved him dearly.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010, at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d'Alene, with visitation for friends from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27, 2010. Final Internment will be Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, at Eternal Valley, Newhall, Calif.
In honor of Norman the family requests in lieu of floral arrangements to remember Alzheimer's Association and Los Angeles Firemen's Relief Association for Widows and Orphans.