Dr. Norman Jay Browne, 83, a resident of Laguna Beach for 53 years, passed away comfortably and peacefully on Tuesday, June 28, 2011, surrounded by his family after a sudden illness.
Dr. Browne was born in Elmhurst, Ill., on April 6, 1928, to Floyd and Etta Mae Browne. He attended elementary and high school in Elmhurst and continued his friendship with several of his classmates throughout his lifetime. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Elmhurst’s Knox College in 1950 and his doctor of dental surgery from Loyola University in Chicago in 1955. He then went on to become a captain in the Air Force, practicing dentistry until 1958. He and his wife Carol moved to Laguna Beach in 1958 where Dr. Browne had a successful dental practice until his retirement in 1991.
He was a member of the Laguna Beach Board of Education for 12 years, served as president for three different terms and continued to be active after his board service ended.
He enjoyed playing beach volleyball, traveling with his wife and driving his ’58 Alpha Romeo anywhere he could. He had a pilot’s license and after retirement met his buddies for coffee several mornings a week. He remained a thrill-seeker, bungee jumping on his 75th birthday in New Zealand and skydiving on his 80th.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years Carol; his children Jaimie, Doug, David and Stevie; and his grandchildren Rianna, Brendan, Alyx and Brooke.
In lieu of flowers his family requests donations to be made to the American Cancer Society.
