Norman Skanchy

Norman Lavor Skanchy

1926 ~ 2017

Norman Lavor Skanchy left this mortal existence with grace on February 17, 2017, after a normal, errand filled day.  He was 90 years old, still doing most of the things he loved: painting, writing and illustrating his poetry, going to athletic events, traveling, instructing Tai Chi and visiting with people. We weren’t ready for his passing, nor was he, as he had a trip planned with family, a new car recently purchased and a watercolor painting nearing completion.  He enjoyed the blessings of a fulfilled and healthy life.

Norman was born on May 7, 1926 in Logan Utah, the son of Norwegian parents, Carl Norman Skanchy and Addie Tarbett. The Skanchys owned several Logan neighborhood grocery stores and he spent his adolescent years with his two brothers and four sisters working in the stores, running errands, making deliveries and stocking shelves. He graduated from Logan High School in 1944 and was inducted into the Marine Corps. He served with the 3rd and 1st Marine Divisions in the Pacific, seeing duty on Guam and in Beijing, China as a China Marine. At the outbreak of the Korean War he was called to active duty with the U.S. Army and at the war’s conclusion he joined the Army Reserve in the artillery and retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1986.

Between the war years, Norman attended Utah State University where he met and married his wife of 64 years, Elma Marion Avondet. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education at Utah State and later received his Master’s of Art Education from Ohio State University. He devoted his career to art and art education, working as an art instructor in the Ogden City School District, and later as the Art Education Supervisor and the Director of Elementary Education for the District. He was an adjunct professor of art at Utah State University and Weber State University and was an Art Fellow at Ohio State University. He created and organized the District’s First Annual Festival of the Arts, the Art Core Project and created and directed the District’s television program for art education.  He developed the Artist in Residence Program in Utah, bringing internationally known artists to Utah as part of the Exemplary Visual Arts Project. In 1989, he received the first annual Governor’s Award for Art Education from the Utah Art’s Council. He has shared his paintings, sculptures and jewelry through gallery shows throughout the state. He was a gifted artist, sculptor, calligrapher and poet.

He loved to compete in athletic events and played college football, boxing, figure skating and ice hockey. In his 60s and 70s he began competing in national racquetball tournaments with his partner, Russ Carruth, and together they won the National Racquetball Championship in 1993. They competed individually and in doubles for over 20 years and were consistently nationally ranked in the top twenties as late as 2003 when they were ranked 19th.  He loved to swim, boat, ice skate, snow ski, and fish.

Elma tried to make him into a gentleman farmer, with limited success, as he broke numerous bones coming off his horse; but he loved his farm, the pond and its fish, the apple and pine trees, his gardens and his dogs. He was content with Elma in Eden. He loved life and drank deeply from its well. He returned to China with Elma where he taught art and calligraphy, made friends and learned Tai Chi, which he taught up until the day before his passing.

He loved his Church and always felt like the war had deprived him of the opportunity to serve as a missionary to Norway, where his grandfather, father and one brother served. He served in many Church callings, in Young Men, Bishoprics and as a Bishop. He served with Elma in an Inner City Mission and worked in the temple as an ordinance worker and a sealer. He was serving as an assistant Ward Mission Leader at the time of his passing. He loved the Savior and understood the blessings of the Atonement.

Norman now joins Elma, his father and mother, two brothers and three sisters in a long awaited reunion. He is survived by his sister, Virginia Oshel; dear sisters-in-law, Barbara Avondet, Linda Stoker, and Dori Wright; sons, Randall (Sue) and Kelly (Heidi); and his devoted and caring daughters, Patti (Peter) Van Aarle and Toni (Tom) Bray; along with 14 grandchildren, one great-grandson and 13 great-granddaughters.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the Nordic Valley Chapel, 2900 North Hwy. 162, Eden, Utah. Friends may visit with family Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd and Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.  Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Rd.