Owen Michael Norris, age 18, died peacefully on April 20, 2018 after a courageous battle with brain cancer, surrounded by his family and comforted by the words of Psalm 23.
Owen is survived by his parents, Jeffrey & Beverly Norris of Stow, OH; brothers Ryan (fiancée Katie) of Atlanta, GA, Matthew (fiancée Mary) of Denver, CO, sister Megan of Athens, OH, grandmother Vivian Hall of West Salem, OH, and aunts, uncles, and cousins throughout the United States. He is preceded in death by grandfathers Darrell Hall and John Norris, grandmother Marion Norris and cousin Mary Grace Beckman.
Owen was born on November 6, 1999 in Akron, OH and lived in Stow his whole life, attending First Christian Preschool, Holy Family School, Stow City Schools, and the Teaching Professions career technical education program at Kent Roosevelt High School. He graduated from Stow Munroe Falls High School in January. He was an officer in the SMFHS Interact club and a member of the men’s choir.
Owen enjoyed all types of music, especially playing guitar. He showed courage and resilience in spite of being legally blind since age five. He was a Braille reader and an expert in accessible technology. He hiked in the Grand Canyon and Cascade Mountains proving to all that low vision didn’t need to be a handicap. Owen’s faith was very important to him and he was an active member of Holy Family Parish.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00a.m. on Friday, April 27 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Stow. Calling hours will be Thursday, April 26 at Dunn-Quigley funeral home, 3333 Kent Rd in Stow, from 4-8pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Owen’s name can be made to the Cleveland Sight Center (for Highbrook Lodge), UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital - Angie Fowler Cancer Institute (www.uhgiving.org), or Stow Munroe Falls High School (Interact Club). The family would like to thank Owen’s special teachers, Mrs. Rickets, Mrs. Vernis, Mrs. Swartz, and many others who took Owen under their wings and into their hearts. We also want to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital PICU, MAC6, and the Angie Fowler Clinic for their excellent, compassionate care for Owen.