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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Mother of missing boy Kyron Horman: 'It doesn't get easier with time' ... Southwest Oregon's fire season starts Friday ... Craterian Performances announces 2015-16 season ... Mother of missing boy Kyron Horman: 'It doesn't get easier with time' ... Southwest Oregon's fire season starts Friday ... Craterian Performances announces 2015-16 season ... Norman Christlieb Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 22, 2015 at 2:00 AM Posted Mar. 22, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Social News Norman Christlieb of Ashland, Ore., passed away March 16, 2015 in his home at the age of 92 surrounded by his family. He built the family home on Morton Street and lived there for 67 years with his wife, Mary Christlieb, who predeceased him in November of 2013. Norm was born to Benjamin and Hazelle Christlieb August 9, 1922 in Anaheim, Calif. and spent his early years on the orange ranch owned by his family. When he was six years old, he was struck by a bootlegger's Packard and spent the next year strapped to a rigid frame recovering from a fractured spine. And, with total amnesia, he had to learn to speak, read, and write all over again. The young Norm met that setback as he would face most challenges throughout his long life: with tenacity, humor and quiet resolve. In 1934, the family moved to Ashland where Norm attended Bellview School. In his 5th grade classroom at Bellview, he met young Mary Lewis who would later become his spouse for over 68 yearsan Ashland couple through and through. Upon graduation from Ashland High School in 1942, he joined the U.S. Navy and served through WWII in the Pacific as an air crewman and bombardier. After the war, he came home to Ashland and worked on the family farm that covered over half of what is now Quiet Village. The farm grew sweet Spanish onions, celery, lettuce, and corn and they raised premium hogs for Armour Meats. He and Mary were wed in 1948, and shortly thereafter Norm left the family farm and was appointed service manager for Jim Busch Ford Sales where he served successive Ford dealerships in Ashland for more than 26 years. He cared for the automobile needs of Ashland residents with integrity and competence. Many would exclaim, "My car only knows Norm!" In 1975, he started his own successful small construction company and then, in 1985, retired to his garden, home projects, classic cars, world travel, and grandchildren. Norm's recreation was to work. He built seven houses for various family members over the years including the family cabin at Fish Lake near the base of Mt. McLoughlin. He became an official Ford Classic Car Restorer, resurrecting over 10 classics into near mint condition including a Model T, a 1929 Model A pickup, and a 1936 Lincoln V-12. He was a skilled plumber, electrician, cabinet-maker, and concrete finisher, often refusing any compensation from family and friends for his efforts. Mary would quip that Norm was "a national treasure" because of his versatile skills and generous nature. A singular feature of the house up on Morton Street was "Norm's Bar." He designed and constructed the barroom himself, with an open railroad-style trussed roof and a commanding view of Grizzly Peak. "Norm's Bar" was the jovial locale of many a gathering of friends and fun. Everyone was welcome and your glass was rarely empty. Norm loved springtime in southern Oregon because it meant morel mushrooms and he was a legendary gatherer. His favorite hors d oeuvre was a heaping plate of freshly gathered, lightly sauted morels shared with friends and family. Norm was active in his earlier days in the Jaycees, the Elks Club, and, at the time of his death, was the oldest living member of Ashland's First Presbyterian Church. He was an essential part of the construction of the new Ashland YMCA and he completed major construction work for the Presbyterian Church, all pro bono. Norm Christlieb was the epitome of "the greatest generation": patriotic, loyal, hard-working, funny, fatherly, and utterly reliable. His granddaughter Emily once wrote that, "She'd never met a man who: labored for others with as much selflessness. poured a drink with as much hospitality. spotted hard-to-find things with as much acuity. gave as joyfully and with as much generosity. conveyed as much love with a single embrace." Norm is survived by his two children, Dee (Carol) and Carol Jensen (Stephen); four grandchildren: Emily (Nancy), Alex, Andrew, and Sage (Jenna); and one great grandchild, Magnus. He is also survived by his sister, Yvonne, and brother, Gary. He was preceded in death by his sister, Marilyn. A private family memorial service will honor Norm. Should friends desire, memorial contributions in Norm's name may be made to the Christlieb Family Vocational Fund at the Ashland Schools Foundation, 100 Walker Ave., Ashland, OR 97520 or online: www.ashlandschoolsfoundation.org MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 22, 2015 at 2:00 AM You may leave your condolences or share memories by signing the Guest Book here » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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