Norm Katz, 1947 - 2009
Music Director Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, the members of the Orchestra, the Board of Directors, and the staff mourn the loss of Vice President Norm Katz, our dear friend and colleague. The September 10-13, 2009 opening performances were performed in his memory.
Obituary
Following is the obituary that appeared in the Sunday, September 6, 2009 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle:
Norm Katz of Tiburon, California, passed away peacefully on August 25, 2009 after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 62. Norm was an unflaggingly devoted father and husband. He was a sage mentor. He was a successful and ethical real estate developer. He was also a fine violist, an avid and skilled golfer with three holes-in-one, and an enthusiastic competitor. In essence, Norm was the consummate Renaissance Man.
Norm was also a former long-time resident and enthusiast of Chicago. Over the course of his 30-year career in Chicago, Norm was the President of two major residential development companies, RESCORP Development and Home by INVSCO. He was later the founder and Managing Partner of Everest Partners, LLC. The Chicago area has been the beneficiary of many of Katz's developments, which range from subsidized housing to luxury condominiums. His projects include: the Parkways, 100 Forest Place, 200 Arlington Place, Evanston Place, 2960 Lake Shore Drive, Haberdasher Square Lofts, Metropolitan Place, and 2 E. 8th. Norm was also the recipient of the prestigious Urban Land Institute Award of Excellence for his Northpointe project and one of the first to develop adaptive re-use projects in downtown Chicago and Evanston. While in Chicago, Norm also served proudly as a President and longtime member of the Ounce of Prevention Board.
Norm and Lucinda moved back to their home state of California in 2004. They rekindled old friendships and made new ones with ease as the Marin community welcomed them with open arms. As husband of current head of Marin Country Day School, Norm enjoyed meeting parents, teachers, staff, and students of the school community. Norm also devoted much of his time to serving on the Boards of San Francisco's New Century Chamber Orchestra and Gateway high school. He also plaented 150 cacti and succulents in the backyard, read voraciously, played in the Mill Valley Philharmonic Orchestra and frequented the Corte Madera Cafe, Stonetree Golf Course, and the San Francisco Opera and Symphony.
Carrying on his spirit are his wife, Lucinda Lee Katz (62), head of Marin Country Day School and former Director of The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools; his daughter, Shira Lee Katz (31); his son, David Lee Katz (27); his brother, Alan Katz (56); and devoted friends and family. Katz's advice... spend as much time with your family as possible and always leave something on the table. Memorial Services will be held in San Francisco's Congregation Emanu-El (2 Lake St.) on Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. and at Chicago's KAM Isaiah Israel (1100 E. Hyde Park Blvd.) on Sept. 13 at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the New Century Chamber Orchestra (415-357-1111) or the Ounce of Prevention Fund (312-922-3863).
Tribute Gifts
The New Century Chamber Orchestra extends its warmest thanks to the following individuals and organizations for their generous gifts in memory of Norm Katz:
Anonymous
Simon and Corinna Au
Ann Becker and David Muschler
Joanna Berman and René Mandel
Doreen Cobb
Laurie Cohen
Common Sense Media
Dr. Teresa Darragh and Parker Monroe
Mary Louise Day and John Himmelfarb
Susan Doyle
Sabra Drohan
Davey and Nancy Eng
Marc and Nancy Fineberg
Howard and Patricia Fong
Norman Furuta
Rachel and Michael Gallant
Paula and John Gambs
William J. Gibbons
Randall Graham
Miranda Heller and Mark Salkind
Peter and Leslie Horn
Elizabeth Hurtig
Timothy and Kie Johnson
Reese and Margaret Jones
Mark Jordan and Kendall Patton
Sheila Kaufman
Elsie Kim and Sadako Tengan
Carol Brindley Konagamitsu
Sue and Robert Larsons
Bonnie Lass
Shirley Lee and Victor Yee
Victory and Grace Lee
Susan Lesher
Marin Country Day School Parent Board
Pam and Jim Moloshok
Brian and Michelle Muir
Michael and Susan Painter
Helaine and Blair Prentice
Marilynn and Charles Rivkin
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg
Elaine and Jonathan Smith
Patricia Stone
Linda Tartof
Joan Tousey
Sidney and Nancy Unobskey
Irvenia Waters and Jose Allen
Jean and Walter Wong
Robert Zwerdling
To make a contribution in Norm’s memory, click here or mail a check to New Century Chamber Orchestra, Attn: Tributes, 665 3rd Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94107.