Norman Gooding

[azyeoman]

522 - Norman Gooding CStJ, MA 1938-2022

It with great sadness that the Society records the death of Norman Gooding on 28thDecember 2022. Norman undertook his National Service in the RAF between 1957-59 and joined the OMRS in 1963. For many years his collecting activities were based around awards to the RAF but, in 1990, he disposed of his RAF collection and focussed his interest on medals and awards to uniformed women’s organisations, a field in which he was to become a recognised expert. Norman’s service to the Society was extensive; his first formal role was Auction Organiser, which he undertook from 1965. In 1966, he was elected General Secretary and served under eight different Presidents, finally retiring in 2000 after 34 years in post. He subsequently served two terms as President – the first between 2001 and 2005, and the second from 2009 to 2011. He continued to serve the Society actively both as a Trustee and member of the Executive Committee until his death. Norman contributed extensively to the OMRS Journal, having well over a hundred articles published. He also published a number of highly regarded books on honours and awards to women. Those who served with him valued his encyclopaedic knowledge of the Society’s affairs and his measured contributions to even to the most contentious of issues. Norman’s service to the Society was recognised by the award of the Society’s Distinguished Service Medal in 1976 and the award of the bar to the Distinguished Service Medal in 1999. The Society requests that Members respect his wife Jean’s privacy at this time. Any Member wishing to express their condolences should do so by emailing the General Secretary, Graham Grist generalsecretary@omrs.org A full obituary will appear in the March edition of the Journal. Dr Richard Emsley

Thank you Norman for all you did. RIP

Edited January 3, 2023 by azyeoman