I spent July 6-9, 2007 in Washington, D.C. celebrating the altogether too short life of one of my best friends, Norman Sandler. It was, as such occasions tend to be (and thank goodness I haven't had to attend all that many), bittersweet; wonderful to see old friends, some of whom I had not seen in years, but sad to see them on such an occasion.
Raeanne Hytone, his ex-wife, joined Norman's brothers Richard, Nathan and Randal in tireless organization of the event at the National Press Club at 2pm on Sunday, July 8. They turned out a lovely and tasteful program, as well as a fascinating exhibition in the 1st Amendment Lounge of pictures and souvenirs from Norman's life. I am looking at the pictures of Norm on the program right now, and I am crying. As we kept saying to each other, this is so wrong and so sad.
I'll repeat again that the best memorial for Norman is the Norman D. Sandler Scholarship fund at MIT. If you knew him, or just feel like you know him because you've read this site and gained some insight into my deep affection for the man, put some money in the pot. The scholarship will got to a student from Iowa who can't afford MIT (just like Norman in 1971), or to a political science student if there is no Iowa applicant with financial need.
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There were at least 100 people at the celebration. The only important one missing of course, was Norman. Venerable UPI White House correspondent Helen Thomas (now with Hearst) was there, as were retired ABC White House shouter Sam Donaldson and still-active Bill Plante of CBS, a close personal friend of Norman and Raeanne. There were also numerous other UPI and television network people present.
The delegation from the MIT student newspaper, The Tech, was 14 strong--people who knew Norman in the years 1971-1975, when he was the living embodiment of the best things about the paper. At a brunch before the celebration, the toast, proposed by John Hanzel and shouted out by me was, "To Norman, the only person who could lure us all to Washington in July." (It was incredibly hot and muggy in Washington.) I can't list every newspaper staffer who showed up, but must make special note of Hanzel, Barb Moore and Mike McNamee, members, at one time or another (along with Norm), of the Usual Gang of Idiots, a group of college friends who have stayed close for 35 years. Like Python or the Beatles, now that we have lost a member, the group will never really be able to perform again.
The speakers at the celebration were Norman's cousin Lisa Learner Maher, Barb (who told of his MIT years), Daniel Miller (his producer in Des Moines), Sheila Tate (who gave him his first post-UPI job), Rusty Brashear (who brought him to Motorola) and his brothers Randal and Richard. I could have said so much… but I was asked to help keep the service moving by restricting myself to the role of an observer, which I did.
Barb told most of my best Norman stories anyway, including one I had forgotten. Just a few days before Barb, Norm, John Hanzel and myself left for a trip to Jamaica, I came home from UPI to find my suitcase torn apart. Norman had removed all the clothing items he refused to be seen with. He said, "Let's go," and took me over to Saks Fifth Avenue on Commonwealth Avenue for new shirts, pants and a new swimsuit (that last may have come from Lord and Taylor).
That was Norm. My God, he will be missed.
Paul, Barry Surman and I were sorry we couldn't be there. As I think you know, we were the "Schindler and Sandler" of a decade later: Barry was EIC for Vol. 103, and I was a year behind him and his ExecEd. I only met Norm once or twice, after he was the guest at Ed Diamond's class. I wish I had known him better, as Barry did.
This is a lovely site, born of your great heart, which I've had the pleasure to come to know a bit over the past quarter century. I'm certain this is a great comfort to Norm's family.
My best wishes to you and your family, and condolences to Norm's. -Robert E. Malchman '85
Posted by: Robert E. Malchman | July 15, 2007 at 03:32 PM