Noman Wilbur Seid

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Norm loved his kids by building things for them like 'push-mobiles', kid-sized wood kitchen sets, kites—and by fixing all their cars.

Norman Wilbur Seid, passed peacefully surrounded by family on September 13th at 86 years. He stopped at the pearly gates to fix a broken hinge but made it to the family reunion just in time. Norm, dubbed “pilgrim” in his later years, was born January 27, 1940, to Sonia and William “Bill” Seid in Riverside, California. Two years later, Norm became a big brother, and life-long protector of Eddy, who was born with an intellectual disability.

The family moved to Ione, California, a whistle stop town at the bottom of Kit Carson Pass (CA-88), when Bill got a job teaching carpentry at the local juvenile correction facility. Despite the Sierras being his backyard, Norm’s favorite place as a kid was Mono Lake, a salt lake near the Yosemite National Park, where his parents and grandparents often vacationed. Norm was fascinated by Mono Lake’s geological history. This fascination with rocks never went away—much to his children’s loving chagrin.

While Bill was a Methodist, the family only went to church on Easter and Christmas. Norm felt called to a different religious life at 16 after meeting two charming young LDS women at a square dance club that met in Stockton, CA. He was baptized two years later as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

At 18, Norm enrolled at California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) in San Luis Obispo, to pursue an Engineering Degree in Metallurgy and Welding. In his junior year Norm had a dustup with his CalPoly RTC officer, and he was told that his choices were to either shape-up or ship out. Norm chose to ship out with the army during the Vietnam conflict. Norm’s unit missed being deployed by 2 weeks. His service was spent stationed in Hawaii and in Okinawa, Japan as a trainer for forward observers.

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Despite the Sierras being his backyard, Norm’s favorite place as a kid was Mono Lake, a salt lake near the Yosemite National Park.

After military service, Norm finished his degree at CalPoly. He then worked for several large corporations including Union Carbide, Bechtel and other firms that enabled him to travel across the U.S. He had a private pilot license, so depending on the project, he’d either fly himself or drive his 442 Oldsmobile. It was while on a project in Bluefield, Virginia, that he met Sharon Jones. He was smitten and proposed after 3 months of dates and letters. Sharon, still completing her bachelor's degree at Brigham Young University, said yes, but on the condition that they wait a year and until she had graduated. Sharon graduated, May 28,1971—and they got married the next day—at the Manti, Utah LDS Temple.

Norm’s skills were in high demand and for the first eight years of their marriage Norm and Sharon hopped across the country following his work. They lived in New Jersey, San Francisco, Iowa, and Washington state, before finally landing in Boise, Idaho in 1978—three preschoolers in tow: Alan, Neva and Duane. Two more children, Brent and Natalie arrived later. Norm loved his kids by building things for them like “push-mobiles”, kid-sized wood kitchen sets, kites—and by fixing all their cars. Building the annual pinewood derby car with the boys was a priority. Norm gifted each of his kids a flight lesson on their 16th birthday. Brent was the only one to make aviation his career.

Norm worked at Huico, Inc., an industrial fabrication and engineering company, in Boise for 8 years. He then started and ran his own welding and fabrication shop, SHRCO for 12 years before selling it. His restless nature motivated the next move as an independent contractor, under the name VSI products. Norm never “retired” but gradually started volunteering more of his time and skills to the LDS Church as both a welder/ repairman at the church cannery and as a genealogist. One of his last projects for the Church was making handcarts for a young adult trek trip.

Norm is survived by his wife, Sharon Seid; his brother Edmund (Eddy) Seid; his children, Neva (Joseph) Cottam and her children Charlotte, Quincy and Fiona Cottam; Duane Seid, and his children Jacob, Garret, Jessica and Kendra Seid; and his last daughter Natalie Seid. He was preceded in death by his sons Alan and Brent Seid. A memorial will be held at the LDS chapel at 1695 E. Amity Rd. Meridian, ID 83642, on Saturday, October 26th at 11 a.m. Guests are welcome to arrive as early as 10 a.m. to greet family. (Any condolences or flowers can be sent through Accent Funeral of Meridian ID)