Matt T. Norris

Born in Oxford, North Carolina, on October 7, 1950, to the late Franklin and Eleanor Norris, Matt never lost his connection to his roots. Though he spent his life living in some of the South’s most vibrant cities, he visited Oxford often.

Matt was a proud graduate of Western Carolina University and a brother of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He dedicated his professional life to banking and finance, a career that took him from the fast pace of Washington, D.C., to Atlanta, Georgia, and across his beloved home state from Wilmington to Raleigh. Most recently, he enjoyed the slower pace of Pinehurst, North Carolina, where he could often be found at his “home away from home,” the Village Roast Office, with a book in his hand and a coffee nearby.

A man of few words and firm convictions, Matt was famously “set in his ways.” Despite being a passionate sports fan, he was never caught wearing a team logo. Instead, he cheered with a quiet intensity, most notably for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Matt was at his happiest when he was the host—planning surprises for his wife, Fran, or ensuring that no guest at his home ever held an empty glass.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 42 years, Frances Edwards Norris; his children, Matthew (Kelly) Norris, Catherine (Brooks) Jewett, and Sarah (Caleb) Strohecker; and his siblings, David (Mariam) Norris, John (Linda) Norris, and Sue Zankowski. His greatest joy in recent years was his role as a grandfather to Griffin, Parker, Eliza, Ward, and Anne Barrett.