Richard James Norfolk, 76, of Orlando Florida, passed away peacefully Tuesday, January 24, 2017 under the care of Cornerstone Hospice of Orlando.
Richard was born August 9, 1940 in Watertown, NY to Ralph and Grace Burns Norfolk. He was raised at 188 Duffy Street in watertown and graduated from Immaculate Heart Academy in 1959. He served in the United States Army in 1960, which included duty during the Berlin Crisis. In September of 1961, Richard married Karen S. Marvin in Watertown and had two children, but the marriage later ended in a divorce. He was honorably discharged in 1966 with the rank of Sergeant.
Richard married Elizabeth (Liz) Ward Russell of Carthage on October 28, 1979 in Watertown. Richard was employed for 17 years at The Johnson Newspaper Corporation as an advertising executive. He and Liz moved to Orlando in 1982 and opened The Casualty Insurance Agency, which he later sold in 1990. Richard the worked for the American Medical Laboratories as an inventory analyst and was responsible for distributing medical supplies to the south and northwest regions of the United States. Then in 2002 after 11 years of employment, he decided to retire from the company.
Richard enjoyed working on his home, cooking, traveling with Liz, including two Alaskan cruises, and spending many fall seasons hunting with family in the North Country. While residing in Watertown, he was an active member of the Elks Club. Richard was also an avid golfer. He was a member of the University of Central Florida Golf Association for over 30 years, 6 of which he served as the organization’s secretary.
We, the members of the University of Central Florida Golf Association, would like to express many thanks to Richard, and his wife Liz, for their many years of service. In Richard’s memory, UCFGA will be making a donation to the American Heart Association. We would also like to extend our deepest condolences and prayers to Liz and the Norfolk family on the loss of their loved one. May Richard rest in peace.