Biographical / Historical
Born in Buffalo Gap, South Dakota, Norwood grew up in Everett, Idaho, and attended The College of Idaho for three years, and The University of Washington for one year. He had extensive work in advanced mathematics, hydraulics, civil engineering, surveying, and geodesics.
In the 1930's Norwood was employed by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, the Idaho State Highway Department, the W.P.A. of Idaho City and The Bureau of Reclamation. In 1941 he worked for the U.S, Engineers Dept, in Portland, Oregon for airport layouts, then transferred to the L.A. District to enter foreign service in Central America.He was with the U.S. Corps of Engineers in the Managua, Nicaragua area, in the vicinity of San Marcos de Colon working on the Pan American Highway.
In 1942 he married Helen L. Kubli. There were no children. In 1944, Norwood returned to the United States and worked for Associated Shipbuilders in Seattle, Washington as liaison engineer. He sought a commission in both the Marine Corps and the Navy, but was physically disqualified as 2-A. In 1944 and 1945 he was engineer with Puget Sound Bridge and Dredge at Harbor Island, Washington, and with the Corps of Engineers, L.A. district for the Whittier Narrows Dam. In 1945 he returned to Central America with Tucker McClure Co. and in Guayaquil, Ecuador again working on the Pan American Highway. In 1950 he returned to the United States and was employed by Vinnell Construction Co in Alhambra, California.
Norwood worked on canal projects, highways, dams, flood control, and bridges. He traveled to many underdeveloped countries on government assignments to develop highways, airports, bridges, and did estimating, negotiating and bidding.
In 1963 he left Vinnell Co. and he and Ross Griggs formed Griggs-Norwood Inc. and their work encompassed engineering of all kinds. They were based first in Pasadena, California and then in Long Beach, California. Mr. Griggs soon retired. After Mrs. Norwood's death in 1974 he moved his base to Duarte, California. In 1978 he married Mrs. Helen Wilkes. He retired in 1980 and died May 1, 1991.
