John H. Norwood
John H. Norwood of Water Mill died at his home on Friday, October 14, after a short illness. He was 90.
Born in Chicago, he graduated from Lehigh University with an engineering degree. He entered the military during World War II as a lieutenant junior grade with U.S. naval forces in the Pacific Theatre. He was a deep sea diver engaged in defusing enemy mines.
He later joined Sports Illustrated in the 1950s as an advertising executive and then became publisher of Diners Club’s magazine, Signature. He retired in the late 1980s and moved full time to Water Mill, where he conducted his business in his home office of writing and publishing Motor Sports America – The Men and Machines of American Motorsports.
His hobbies included race car driving in the 1950s and 1960s, racing all over the country, including Seabring in Florida and LeMans in France. He also excelled in the game of tennis. He was a champion in Westchester, Connecticut and in New York City at the River Club and the Meadow Club in Southampton during the ’60s and ’70s. He continued his passion for tennis playing regularly until the age of 90.
His is survived by his wife of 41 years, Ruth Havemeyer Norwood, and five children by two previous marriages.
The family received friends on Friday, October 21, at the Brockett Funeral Home in Southampton, where a memorial service was officiated by the Reverend Peter Larsen. Interment followed with military honors on Saturday, October 22, at Sacred Hearts Cemetery in Southampton.
Memorial donations made to the Association of Paul Newman’s Hole In The Wall Camps, 228 Saugatuck Avenue, Westport, Connecticut 06880, or the Southampton Fresh Air Home, P.O. Box 244, Southampton, New York 11969, would be appreciated by the family.
on Oct 25, 2011