Obituary of Norman Douglas Baxter

BAXTER, Norman Douglas

March 30, 1936 – Galt, Ontario

January 14, 2022 - Calgary, Alberta

Norman Baxter, beloved husband of Shirley Baxter (nee Wall) of Calgary, AB, passed away after a short battle with pancreatic cancer, on Friday, January 14, 2022, at the age of 85 years.

Norm, the youngest of three children was born to Vera and James Baxter on March 30, 1936, in Galt, ON. He grew up surrounded by love, family, and music. Norm was a natural when it came to music. He had a beautiful baritone voice and at a young age mastered the violin, organ, saxophone, ukulele, and banjo. While growing up, family dinners always ended in the music room where he, his father and brother would entertain the family with music and singing. For many years, Norm played in a dance band and played regular gigs at dance halls in southern Ontario. His own family remembers Pops sitting at the organ taking requests and singing his heart out. Next to music, Norm enjoyed vintage cars, his prized convertible Mustang, and his “silly” white van.  He loved nothing more than tinkering with his vehicles and explaining the mechanics of how they worked.

Norman loved being part of the workforce and continued working well into his seventies. He was a draftsman by profession and following his retirement from Trans Canada Pipeline, he spent many years consulting in the oil and gas industry.

Norm married the love of life Shirley Wall in 1961 and they raised three children who in turn gave him six grandchildren who he loved and adored.  Pops always had a way of making each of his grandchildren feel special. He loved to listen to their stories and was their number one supporter in all and everything they did. In his eyes, they were perfect and to his grandchildren, pops was the best!  They will miss meeting him at Tim Horton’s for coffee and going out for breakfast with pops.

Norm and Shirley enjoyed many holidays over the years. They loved travelling through Europe and Australia as well as their yearly visits to Victoria, BC with their favourite travel buddies, Shirley’s sister Fran and her husband, Craig.

He will be remembered for his warm sense of humour, his zest for life and his genuine love of family and friends.

He leaves to mourn his wife, Shirley; his children, Stephen (Susan), Suzanne (Kevin) and Peter (Christine); and his grandchildren, Ryan, Lauren, Sarah, Lucas, Claudia, and Jillian. He also leaves to mourn his sister Joan in Fergus, ON; as well as numerous relatives and friends in BC and ON. 

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed here. If friends so desire, in lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to pancreaticcancercanada.ca.

In living memory of Norman Baxter, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, Ab t2x 3j3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.