Norman Foster Alvis was born "at a very young age, naked, bald-headed, and broke," in Chouteau, Oklahoma, on July 12, 1937. He was one of seven children born to Lee and Colista Alvis, including brothers James and Gene and sisters, Opal, Betty, Anna, and Ruth. He spent the first several years of his life in Pryor, Oklahoma, until his family joined the great migration to the Golden State of California. He spent most of his life in the Sacramento region. He died from complications related to liver cancer on January 31, 2016. Norman began working as a youth shining shoes, left home at age twelve to travel with the circus, and later trained bird dogs. He served with distinction in the U.S. Army for three years. He was stationed mainly in France, where he fought valiantly in the "Battle of Bourdeaux." After his honorable discharge, he worked for a time in construction before finding his true calling in sales. He engaged in a wide variety of business ventures in the decades that followed. He enjoyed particular success with real estate, founding Alvis Realty and playing a leading role in the development of Sunset Whitney. He was also involved in international barter most recently as President of edaddywarbucks.com. Norman was renowned for his culinary skills and was the consummate host, preparing countless feasts for family and friends. He raised cattle for a time, tested his skills on the rodeo circuit, and played a mean hand of poker. A lover of adventure, his travels took him around the world, but his favorite destination was the Northern California coast. He was a generous supporter of numerous charitable organizations, notably the Children's Receiving Home in Sacramento, California, where he hosted an annual Halloween party for 36 years. Norman is survived by his wife, Leslie Fritzsche; his brother Gene; his sister Ruth; his sons Norman, Gene, and Shane Mathias; his daughters Desiree Douglas and Heather Fordham; and sixteen grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, Norman's family encourages donations to the Children's Receiving Home in his honor. A celebration of his life is being planned. For more information contact [email protected].
Published in The Sacramento Bee on Feb. 6, 2016