Obituary: Otty Ruben Norwood, 97, of Branford

Obituary courtesy of W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home:

Otty Ruben Norwood, 97, died peacefully at his home in Branford, CT on Saturday, March 11th. Born on June 3rd, 1925 in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada. Otty is survived by his beloved wife Perdita, his children Mary Elizabeth Winkle (Paul) , Pamela Norwood, Robert Norwood (Yianni Makredes), Constance Brophy (James), his five grandchildren - Elizabeth Winkle, Robert Winkle, Henry Winkle (Samantha), Mary Clare Brophy and Caroline Brophy, several nieces and nephews and his brother, Donald Norwood.

Otty had a long and wonderful life. He was a loving, generous, unflaggingly supportive and inspiring father who was deeply devoted to his children and grandchildren. His sterling character, sense of fairness, undeviating positivity, and ribald sense of humor were ingrained in his family at an early age and were the greatest of the many gifts he gave his family.

Otty had just two romances in his lifetime and both were extraordinary. He met his first wife, Clare O’Brien, in 1948 at a dance in their hometown of St. John, NB. She was a willowy co-ed and he was a 23-year-old middle-school teacher. They married and moved to the US, eventually settling in Scarsdale, NY where they raised their four children. They played tennis and sailed Long Island Sound as members of Otty’s cherished Larchmont Yacht Club, entertained frequently in great style, explored New York City’s food scene, did the Lindy as often as possible and traveled every chance they got. Clare died from cancer in 1983, after 28 years of marriage, and Otty was heartbroken.

A year later, at a dinner party, Otty was introduced to Perdita Kirkness, they volunteered to help with the dishes and the rest is history. They married among their closest friends on Nantucket in 1987, and enjoyed 35 tremendously happy years together. They traveled the world, worked side by side cultivating beautiful gardens, volunteered in their church and community, and entertained their lively network of friends from the US, Canada and Great Britain. They supported each other unwaveringly and loved each other as deeply as anyone could wish for. Lightning struck twice and Otty was grateful every day.

When asked for his secret to such a long life, Otty would always say, “Never stop working. Always keep learning”. After graduating from the University of New Brunswick, he became a teacher at Beaconsfield School in St. John at the age of 21. At 24, he became the youngest principal in the school’s history. During summers, he sold advertising for Clare’s father’s business while taking classes at UNB to earn his Bachelor of Arts in Education. Subsequent summers were spent in New York City, where he both worked as an intern and studied at Columbia University earning his Masters in 1955 and later, in 1961, his Doctorate.

He didn’t just have a profound influence on his children, he had a lasting impact on countless others, making a difference at every stop on his journey. He began his career as the Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Mt. Kisco, NY where he played a part in designing Fox Lane High School.

He was the Superintendent of Schools in Weston, Massachusetts in the 1960s, where he played a pivotal role in developing a desegregation program in partnership with Roxbury, Mass., that remains the longest continuously running voluntary school desegregation program in the nation.
He served for sixteen years as the Superintendent in the Larchmont-Mamaroneck school system where in addition to being famous as the Canadian who rarely gave kids a snow day, is credited with helping to make that school system one of the best in the country.

He piloted strict anti-drug and drinking policies while the superintendent in Weston, CT., a move which was covered by The New York Times. He taught graduate classes at NYU, acted as an interim Superintendent in Chappaqua and finished his career with seven years as the President of the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) where he made the testing service profitable.

When he retired, he co-founded Pro-Write, a before-its-time online writing tutorial platform, he volunteered as a writing coach for the New Haven Police Department, as a reading tutor for children and an ESL tutor for immigrant adults. He was a member of the Branford Zoning Board, the Branford Garden Club and he conceived, developed and anchored a senior-focused TV series which aired on Branford’s Community Television station.

Otty was a phenomenal cook, a welcoming host and a consummate gentleman, who was most often seen in a blazer and tie. His warmth and genuine interest in others made him immensely likable and he surrounded himself with smart, creative people.

He was disarmingly funny, charismatic and charming. There isn’t a C-Suite Executive, Union Representative, or later in his life, a Yale/New Haven Nurse who didn’t light up and shout ‘Otty!’ after their first meeting. He was a magnet for kids with a sense of fun and kindness that resonated even with the tiniest of humans.

One of his earliest students said, “Teachers come and go in your life, but this guy, you never forget.” He was right.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Monday, May 8th at 11 AM at Trinity Episcopal Church in Branford CT., and a second memorial service will be held on Wednesday, August 9th at 4PM at The Beach Street Inn in St. Martins, New Brunswick.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that you remember Otty by learning something new in his honor or with an act of kindness–make someone feel special, make someone laugh, make someone feel important and leave them smiling, as he did.