Michael Ray "Bud" Norman
August 20, 1959 ~ August 27, 2020
Michael Ray “Bud” Norman
passed from us on August 27th, just one week after his 61st birthday. Bud was born in the Philippines where his father, Earl Norman, was serving as a pilot in the Air Force. His family moved to Wichita soon after Bud was born, and he found his home. He was a Wichitan through and through.
Politics is one of the passions Bud is known for. The summer before his senior year in high school he worked as a page at the United States Supreme Court. The following summer he was back in Washington, D.C., working as a writer for Bob Dole. That fall Bud attend Kansas State on a debate scholarship. While debating at K-State he won Best Speaker at the National Collegiate Debate Tournament. Bud’s love for journalism drove him away from college to work for the Wichita Eagle & Beacon, where his first writing job was preparing obituaries. Due to his incredible writing talent, Bud worked his way up as a reporter and columnist during his 25 years at the Eagle & Beacon. His cunning wit and love for the local media made him a valuable writer and performer in the Wichita Gridiron for more than 35 years. After his career at the Wichita Eagle & Beacon, Bud was the author of three books: A political novel, The Things That Are Caesar’s (2003), a coming of age story, This Town is Nowhere (2015) and co-wrote Goat Glands to Ranch Hands: The KFDI Story with Orin Friesen. Since 2011 Bud wrote a daily blog, CentralStandardTimes.com, where he wrote articles on politics, culture and Wichita news and events. He was so dedicated to his blog that his last post was August 18, 2020, the day before he went to the hospital. Bud is survived by his parents, Earl and Pat Norman; brothers and sisters-in-law, Stephen (Cynda) of Grand Junction, Colorado, Kenneth (Kathleen) of Porter Ranch, California; his Aunt Buzzy (Karl) of Edmond, Oklahoma; and cousins by the dozens. We will all miss him terribly.
He passed from this earthly home flanked by his parents holding his hands. The viewing will be held at Downing & Lahey East, 6555 E. Central Avenue, Wichita, KS, from 6:00 p.m. through 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 31st. The funeral service will be held at West Douglas Church of Christ, 1924 W. Douglas, Wichita, KS 67203 on Tuesday, September 1st at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please send donations through WichitaGridiron.Com.
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I’m just now finding out that Mike passed away. While I hadn’t seen him since high school, I’m truly sorry to learn of his passing. We spent quite a bit of time together in debate and just hanging out. He was a really bright and funny guy. Fair winds and following seas, Mike. RIP