I called Jeff Chipetine who wrote the CPS tribute (and who was probably Norman's best friend) and he graciously granted permission to reprint it here. As an aside, Jeff and Norm were pretty much both founding members over at CPS. Norm's member number is #8, Jeff's #162. Jeff, as you will see below, is quite the story teller:
EDIT: I also extended condolences to Jeff from all of us here because, as mentioned above, Norm likely considered Jeff to be his best friend.
I have a sad duty today.
Norm Echtinaw passed away a couple days back. He was found ‘at his computer ‘ by his former employer’s daughter Kerri. Kerri had called him and got worried when he didn’t return her call after a day or so.
I do not know the cause of death The last couple years Norm had at times intimated that he didn’t think he’d be around too much longer. Maybe he felt his time was coming along…
For those newcomers to CPS, Norm was a retired A/P and I.A., and long-term contributor to our discussions. Especially once he retired, he often would add his perspective and insights gained over many years of work in aviation. Norm was a founding Member here, and a solid supporter of our CPS since inception. Norm volunteered for our cause behind the scenes for years clearing new prospects for Membership on behalf of the Forum Board.
Norm’s last work gig was with Avante-Garde aviation. He worked alongside and for long-time friend John Johns (real name). John and Norm maintained their friendship beyond Norm's retirement, with lunch once a week, Sunday breakfasts, and every holiday Norm had a seat at their family table.
Norm also often had a seat at our CPS tables and gatherings. He was able to attend a good many of our annual get-togethers, and even showed up at Ocracoke once or twice. I remember him walking into the weeds at the airport at Ocracoke to enjoy a 'gentleman’s moment' and he came out bleeding from about 113 mosquito bites. You would think a guy trailing a contrail of cigarette smoke as dense as a DDT fog machine would have been left alone by the bugs. Funny stuff you remember.
Norm had been married a couple times, the last time successfully. In that respect, he was very much like any airplane owner. He lost his wife maybe 15 years back. He has a single sister as a surviving relative.
After his wife died, Norm retired and then sold off his Honda Gold Wing motorcycle a few years later saying it didn’t appeal to him as much to ride solo. Might have also been a realization of eyesight and reflexes going downhill. At least he knew enough to get out on his terms.
Norm didn’t have much ‘stuff’ and was living mostly on Social Security in his apartment in Pontiac MI. He was very hard of hearing which made him a decent reader of lips, but he was for years lost in the conversation whenever we were in a noisy environment. He absolutely refused countless offers of hearing aids after trying a box-store pair for a month. Set in his ways, somewhat stubborn. He carried a Glock which often gave lots of us cause for pause.
My best times with Norm were ‘enroute’. Norm did enjoy flying and as several other CPS Members will attest, when equipped with ANR headsets, the grumpiness disappeared when his world of hearing was restored for those few hours.
Other than his daily interchange with us here at CPS (which he never missed), those flights/gatherings were his last real connection with the aviation life he once knew, and I like to think he enjoyed our company. He always seemed happiest when surrounded by his CPS family.
He had a decent eye for photography, and many of the pictures we’ve enjoyed in retrospect were courtesy of his lens. He used to make up a CD of pictures at the end of every trip. No more CDs I guess.
Other than CPS, he enjoyed the rail-road forums and spent some of his time ‘train-spotting’ which is apparently an activity that involves taking your car to railroad overpasses and photographing famous locomotives as they pass by. I always thought airplane people were a bit ‘special’ but train-spotting put things in perspective the first time someone mentioned it to me. He was crotchety at times, but he liked all of us so who is to say he had bad taste?
Norm smoked Winston’s like a chimney, and had a diet that would have killed off the Marlboro man in his 30s. He hung in tough longer than I had thought he might. Now he’s gone, and I’ll miss him. He was our friend.
I do know that Norm was very appreciative of the good-will and generosity of time he was shown by the folks that make up this gathering. He was always offered multiple seats for the fly-outs, and he got around to flying with many of us through the years. He usually was ‘a guest’ in a spare bed at our get togethers, and there was never a shortage of folks very quietly ensuring that the costs for him being in attendance were borne evenly, (and with a smile). Norm sometimes traveled commercially when no one was passing overhead, and thousands of Frequent Flyer miles were purged from CPS Member accounts to ensure he would be able to put in an appearance.
I know Norm would offer his thanks for those special moments with his CPS buds that made his life richer. Those folks that played a part in bringing a smile to his face did so in the best traditions of friendship, without recognition till this moment. A salute to you all for your decency.
I spoke with Norm a couple weeks back. Because of his hearing loss, conversations were always a bit jumpy, but he sounded decent at the time. He always had that smoker’s gravel in the background so if he was sick, I couldn’t tell.
John’s daughter Kerri had been overseeing his affairs for the last few years and will be calling me with more information as is practical. I’ll forward them here as received.
Many of us benefitted from Norm's counsel during his time spent in our company. He shared as best he could. I hope he rests easy.
----Jeff C.
