Brenda Bove, ACLU of Michigan paralegal

“Tell me how your rights were violated,” the first question posed by Norris Lee in his unmistakable Texan accent, patiently asked of each and every person who called the ACLU of Michigan’s office for help.

After his retirement from Burroughs’ corporation, his devotion to the protection of civil liberties led him to the ACLU office in Detroit. He was a volunteer, and he was also a generous donor and a committed Board member.

He had great enthusiasm for the job, and he had an incredible ability to troubleshoot those calls, and give guidance to those who were lost in the maze. His sense of humor always left us laughing at the end of the day.

His ACLU family will never hear again that Texan accent, or his great sense of humor. We were terribly saddened to hear that on September 17, the Birmingham, Michigan police found his body in a wooded area of Birmingham. He was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and wandered away from the Community House in Birmingham.

The ACLU of Michigan is very lucky to have had a supporter, volunteer and friend like Norris. I had the privilege of working with Norris during those years, and I will miss his wisdom. But mostly I will miss his smile.