Norman Arthur Jolie was born August 27, 1926 to Victoria Marie Blouin Jolie and J. Arthur Norbert Joly in Willimantic, Connecticut. His parents were mill workers and spoke only French, until Norman went to school and learned English. Norman had a younger brother Phillip, who died at the age of seventeen from complications of hemophilia. Norman was raised a Catholic and attended St. Joseph's School. He remained faithful to the Church all of his life. He was often an usher at St. Columba in Columbia, Connecticut, where he has been a communicant since moving here in 1970. Norman married his high school sweetheart, Alice Ellen Homer, on June 26, 1948, on his mother's 48th birthday. Together they traveled all over our country, Europe and South America. They raised four children: Katherine (Kitty), Phyllis, Francis, and Patricia (Patti). Their children learned patience, honesty and integrity from both parents. All four children earned their bachelor's degrees and then went on for further education, and attended the University of Connecticut for some part of their college education. All four children are happily married in stable, healthy relationships as modeled by their parents. After Norman retired from the Air Force in 1969, the family traveled all through the United States for four weeks. It was a most memorable journey, with visits to almost all of the major National Parks. Norman joined the Army Air Corps in 1944, and served in World War II as a radio operator. He was awarded his high school diploma from Windham High School when he returned. The GI bill gave him the opportunity to purchase a home with his mother, and to attend the University of Connecticut. He graduated with a bachelor's in Government Studies. Norman had been in the ROTC program and continued in the Air Force as an officer. In the late 1950's, he wiggled his way in to Boston University, where he completed his Master's Program of Public Relations with honors, and a near 4.0 GPA. During his 25 year career in the Air Force, Norman served in Texas, South Carolina, France, Boston, New York City, Korea, South Vietnam, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Greenland. The family started in Connecticut, moving to South Carolina, France, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio, Massachusetts, and back to Connecticut. At the same time Norman was earning his Masters at Boston University, he was an instructor for the ROTC. While in France, one of his duties was to exhibit a huge missile which required two tractor trailer beds to move it. He was also in charge of the Air Force exhibit for the World Fair in New York City, in 1966. His main job was Public Relations, but he had other duties to perform which were not revealed until 20 years later. To this day, not all of his duties are known. Norman retired from the Air Force in 1969, with 24 years, 6 months and 3 days to his credit, with a final rank as Major. His next career move was the Assistant Director of the Alumni Association of the University of Connecticut. He held this post for ten years. He retired for the second time, and spent a short stint doing Public Relations for Pratt Whitney. Following this, he trained to become a Loan Officer at the Willimantic Trust. He held this job for about 3-4 years. He then held two part time jobs as a runner for Hertz and a salesman for Furniture Fair. He was forced to retire completely for health reasons in 1995. Norman has been a member of the Lion's club off and on since 1957. In Columbia, he had been a member for 40 years. He was in charge of float judges for the 4th of July parade and helped at the August chicken BBQ until 2009. Norman is survived by his wife, Alice. His children and spouses; Kitty and John Monahan, Phyllis and Raymond Bonneau, Francis and Lucy Mozzicatto Jolie, Patti and Lawrence Zotzmann. His eight grandchildren: Victoria (Matt Bradshaw), Joseph (Heather Burgoyne) and Matthew Monahan; Michelle (Mike Parmeter), Amy and Jeffrey Bonneau; Richard and Sarah Zotzmann. His five great grandchildren: Damian, Madison, Kaylie, Kaya, Kyle, with another due soon. Until his recent illness, Norman was a vital, active personality with strong personal beliefs. Norman was a loving man, dedicated to his mother, wife, children and their families. Norman and Alice were married for almost 62 years. They were so compatible that they were referred to as a unit. It is hard to accept that half of that beautiful partnership is gone forever. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation: Donations may be made in memory of Norman to the Norman Jolie '51 and Alice Jolie '48 Endowed Family Scholarship. Please make checks payable to: The UConn Foundation, Inc. and forward to the following address: 2390 Alumni Drive Unit 3206, Storrs, Connecticut 06269. Tel. 800.269.9965 Fax 860.486.0907 For more information, please go to:
http://www.foundation.uconn.edu/stories-of-giving/2008-10-jolie.html
. On line donations may be made by going to:
https://secure3.convio.net/ucfdn/site/Donation2?idb=0&df_id=1351&1351.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=mh399s60g2.app332b
. Click on Donations and click "other", type in Norman Jolie '51 and Alice Jolie '48 Endowed Family Scholarship. The family wishes to extend a sincere and deep gratitude to St. Joseph Living Center for their tremendously tender and professional care of Norman during these last few days. We also wish to thank Dr. Steven Leach for his professional and personally involved care of Norman's medical and personal needs. We would like to recognize the caring input of all of Norman's specialists and other health care providers. His family will receive friends on Thursday June 3rd from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Potter Funeral Home 456 Jackson St. (Rte. 195) Willimantic. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00am on Friday June 4th at St. Columba Church in Columbia (Intersection of Rte. 66 and 87), with assembly at the church. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Windham. For online memorial guestbook please visit
www.potterfuneralhome.com
.