Obituary: Lavigne, Norman “Norm”
Age 84
LaVIGNE,
Norman
“Norm”
Norman “Norm” LaVigne was born in Auburn, Nebraska to Grace and Albert LaVigne on November 19, 1927.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Gloretta LaVigne Lynn of Omak, WA.
The LaVigne family moved to Texas where Norman’s father farmed his grandfather’s land until the Dust Bowl destroyed the land.
With encouragement from friends they moved to Okanogan County in Washington State when Norman was 13 years old.
He attended Omak High and EWU at Cheney under a track scholarship from Coach Reese.
He obtained his B.A.
degree before joining the Army where he taught the troops in physical training and also served in the Military Police.
He returned to Omak where he coached track.
In 1957 he married Mary Murray of Priest River, Idaho.
They moved to East Wenatchee where he taught in the junior high and was the head track coach at Eastmont High.
Among his students was a National Javilan Champion, Foss Miller of Redmond, WA.
Norm then continued his education at Eastern in Cheney and received his Master’s Degree.
Norman and Mary moved to Spokane where they both worked for Bill Main Realty (from Omak) in residential sales.
Norman partnered with Larry Howes to create LaVigne and Howes Realty.
After many successful years in real estate they converted the property to the Apple Tree Inn at the “Y” in North Spokane.
After 12 years of marriage their son Wade LaVigne of Spokane was born in 1968 and their daughter Capri LaVigne Sexton of Spokane was born in 1970.
Norman coached and led a group of Colbert Elementary children in soccer to the Spokane City Champions from first grade to sixth grade.
He spent the last working years of his life, with business partner George Sullivan (of Spokane), building apartment units in the Inland Empire for Seniors and low income families under the HUD (Federal Housing Program).
After retiring, Norman and Mary lived the good life and vacationed many winters at Lake Havasu City, AZ where they played golf and fished the Colorado River.
Norman was a great husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend.
He gave a good fight to congestive heart failure and passed in his own home in Spokane on March 26, 2012.
A private gathering will be held at a later date.
Please visit Norm’s online tribute and leave a condolence at www.hennesseyfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements by