RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. – Norman Edmund Spicer, 79, of Rancho Mirage, Calif., passed away on June 4, 2009.
He was born in New York to Ralph and Harriet Spicer. After high school graduation, he attended Gibbs School of Aviation in San Diego, Calif., Aeronautical Engineering, Navigation, and Civil Air Regulations. From there, he went on to attend Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. - Psychology of Learning and Life Drawing and then to The University of Washington, Seattle, Wash. – Aviation Medicine. He worked for the County Highway Department until 1948 and then joined the U.S. Army where he served with the 48th Field Artillery Battalion in Seoul, Korea and was honorably discharged in 1948. He then worked for Mid Stage Aviation; NY State Electric and Gas. In 1951, for the Convair Division of General Dynamics; 1952 to 1955 with General Laboratory Assoc.; Aug. 1955 moved to Bendix Corporation August 1955 to Sept. 1956; Boeing Company from Sept. 1956 to June 1962. In June 1962, AiResearch Manufacturing Co., a division of the Garrett Corporation, hired him. Through the years he moved up with the company. He was promoted to Director of Development and later to Ass’t VP with the Garrett Cortporation. In 1986, he was transferred to Tokyo, Japan to head the Garrett Japan Limited as Vice-President & Representative Director. He was semi-retired in 1986 and fully retired in 1992. He served as Consultant to the American Honda Motor Co. In 1987, he was involved in the mechanical heart device dubbed as S2000, a left ventricular assist device. This was a project of Dr. Jack Stemlieb of the former Heart Institute of The Desert. Norm tapped into his resources from Garrett Aerospace to find the perfect team. He drew the initial specifications for the device. Development of the device started in 1987 and the US Patent Office awarded the physicians and engineers a patent for the device in April 2000. He worked for a total of 46 years and retired in 1992.
He is survived by his wife, Suzette (de la Pena) Spicer, with whom he recently shared his 30th wedding anniversary on May 23, 2009. He also leaves behind three sons, Stephen Spicer of Arizona, Gregory and Gary Spicer of Michigan; two sisters, Eleanor (Robert) Miner, and Shirley Foster, both of Norwich; six grandchildren, Christina, Heather, Lena,Carolyn, Kelly, and Eddie Spicer.
Services were held at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Palm Desert, Calif. on Friday, June 12. The Rosary was at 10:30 a.m. and then a Mass at 11 a.m. Visitation and reception followed at the church.