Norman A. Koglin BS ’51
Norman A. Koglin BS '51 Obituary
Norman Alfred Koglin, architect, amateur race car driver, husband, dad, grandpa, and great-grandpa, passed away on October 23, 2024 at the age of 96. Norm left this world as he lived it, on his own terms, quietly falling asleep three weeks after the death of his remarkable wife Bernice.
Norm was born on May 5, 1928 in Chicago, IL to Elizabeth and Alfred Koglin. Alfred was a gifted engineer and Elizabeth’s father was a talented sculptor, a solid artistic gene pool from which he would show promise in Lane Tech High School’s drafting classes and later, at the University of Illinois School of Architecture. Graduating in May of 1951, he landed a job but shortly after, was drafted. With his new degree, he was placed within the category of Scientific and Professional personnel. After basic training, he was given various technical opportunities and while training as a land surveyor, he was offered the chance to join a unit in Europe where he spent the next two years running a small drafting department in Verdun, France, which allowed him time to travel through western Europe. He was forever grateful for the guardian angel who kept him protected from the actual Korean war.
He met Corlotta McLean on a blind date and eighteen months later, in February of 1955, they married. They eventually settled in Evanston, raising their four children. After working for several large firms in Chicago, Norm started his own company, building it into a highly-respected and successful corporate interior architecture practice, working with clients across the United States. Always a fan of sport cars and the owner of everything from Triumphs to Corvettes, he was introduced to auto racing by a friend and once he got the bug, it became the family’s collective hobby. He competed for many years and through that activity, built many close, lifelong friendships, remaining deeply involved years after he was no longer racing. Sadly, after 18 years, his marriage to Corky ended.
In 1982, Norm married Bernice Morrell, whose husband Dave, a fellow racer and close friend, had passed away several years earlier. Norm and Bernie already shared a love of motorsports as well as many of the same friendships. Together they continued to stay involved in the leadership of the Sports Car Club of America, loved to travel around the globe and taking trips across the U.S. to visit their collective 7 kids, 15 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Later in retirement, they enjoyed spending winters in their waterfront Florida home, hosting family and cruising the estuaries in their boat on the hunt for the next big snook, trout or jack.
Norm was preceded in death by just three weeks by his beloved wife of 42 years, Bernice. He is survived by his sister Linda (Nick), his children: Eric (Chris), Andrew (Jacqueline), Lisa (David) and Susan (Tom), his grandchildren: Adam (Ashley), Tyler, Nicholas (Elsie), Alexander (Corey), Molly and Evan, and his great-grandchildren: Kelsey, Kinley, Cameron and Jackson, as well as Bernie’s children: Edward (Patricia), Louise (Peter) and Paul (Caritas), nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
A private celebration of Norm’s life will be held with family on Monday, October 28.