WILTON – Norman W. Meldrum’s passing was celebrated on the morning of Jan. 6, 2009 with prayers and blessings in the Native American tradition recited by a new friend. Many hands made it possible for Norman to remain at home with his family throughout his long illness.
Norman was born at the old hospital in Farmington and lived in W. Farmington during his early years. He was educated in the old three-room schoolhouse, and the “new” high school on Middle Street. He attended UMO, and received an associate in writing and business from UMF.
Norman was a cook and a painter, and could make anything out of nothing with his hands. He enjoyed reading as well as travel to visit his friends in Canada. He home-schooled his youngest son, and passed on many skills to all of his boys.
He was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War with the support of his pastor at Henderson Memorial. He volunteered for the Maine Draft and Military Counseling as well as for ROSC (Research & Organization for Social Change).
Norman was a self-taught Web designer, and was one of the first in Maine to do Web sites accessible to the blind. Through ROSC, he founded abilitymaine.org an online journal for people with disabilities, and worked with a dear friend in Massachusetts to develop an online poetry and prose magazine. He advocated on statewide disability councils until the movers and shakers realized that what they said behind closed doors was being published statewide and even worldwide. He will be sorely missed by the disability movement.
Norman leaves behind a wife and son, Barbara and Noah; two stepsons, Nils and Leif Devine; a sister, Ava Crocker; a stepmother, Dorothy Meldrum; a niece, Misty Crocker, and two nephews, Michael and Christopher Crocker.
A memorial service will take place in the spring under the care of the Farmington Friends (Quakers). Arrangements are in the care of the Wiles Remembrance Center, 136 High St., Wilton. Words of condolence may be sent to info@wilesrc.com.
