On January 22, 2023, Robert Lee Norton, Ph.D., 85, passed away in Springfield, Missouri, surrounded by his family. His parents, Grover Milton “G.M.” Norton and Myrtle Naomi (Johnson) Norton, welcomed him into the world on February 10, 1937, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Robert, one of four siblings, was preceded in death by his parents and brother David.

He is survived by his daughters and their husbands: Andrea and Greg McKinney, Springfield, Missouri, and Nicole and Paul Devlin, Dallas, Texas. His grandson, Lachlan Carroll Norton McKinney, also survives him and was the light of his life. The two shared a mutual interest in foreign languages, especially Latin and French. They also enjoyed discussing the Classics during Lachlan’s frequent visits to Robert’s home. He lived nearby and spent a lot of quality time with his grandson. Robert is also survived by his sisters, Norma and Lynda, who were very special to him.

As a teenager, Robert and his family moved to Springfield, Missouri, where they lived in the Phelps Grove Park area. He attended Senior High School, now known as Central. Throughout school, he held several jobs, and his favorite was running the projector at the former Tower Movie Theatre. Robert kept in touch with his friends from the Class of 1955 and looked forward to the annual reunions held at Twin Oaks Country Club.

In 1959, Robert received a Bachelor of Science in education from Southwest Missouri State University, with lifetime certifications to teach English, French and Spanish. After beginning his teaching career, he soon moved to Kansas City, where he served his country as a U.S. Air Force airman first class reservist while stationed at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base. He was assigned to intelligence and counterintelligence duties abroad, after being called to active duty in 1961.

Upon returning to Kansas City in 1962, he and Ruth Peñaherrera were joined in holy matrimony. Shortly thereafter, the couple relocated to Chicago, Illinois, where Robert worked as a consultant for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, the largest publisher of educational textbooks. At the firm, he introduced a new method of teaching foreign languages and often commuted to New York City.

Andrea Michelle, the couple’s first child, was born in Chicago, Illinois, and Nicole Francesca, their second child, was born in Springfield, Missouri. Robert’s greatest joy in life was his family. He taught his girls to read and took them for bike rides and boat trips. A talented gardener, he helped his daughters plant roses and Japanese maple and dogwood trees in the yards of their first homes. The holidays were always memorable, with meals commencing with a festive Champagne toast served in beautiful crystal flutes. Robert showered his daughters with affection and was interested in all of their travels, careers and future plans. He loved to buy them Christmas gifts and celebrated their birthdays every January. Robert was incredibly proud of his daughters, whom he raised to be industrious, independent and gracious.

In 1964 and 1974, respectively, Robert earned a Master of Arts and a Ph.D. in Spanish at the University of Missouri. During this time, he created a consortium of Missouri universities that implemented a Spanish education program for Peace Corps volunteers. In 1968 he joined the Department of Modern and Classical Languages at his alma mater, SMSU, which later became Missouri State University. There he taught for 48 years, while serving in many leadership roles such as department head, acting dean of the College of Arts and Letters and Chairman of the Faculty Senate. The university recognized Robert with a Lifetime Latino Service Award for his many years of service and dedication to the Latino and Hispanic communities. After serving as the state director of the national Spanish honor society Sigma Delta Pi, Robert was awarded with the prestigious designation of the Orden de los Descubridores.

During his professional tenures at Dartmouth College, Emory University, Stillman College, Yeditepe University in Istanbul, Turkey, among many other institutions, Robert, a high achiever, looked for chances to expand upon his credentials. He spoke fluent Spanish and French, and was proficient in several other languages. He traveled frequently to Latin America and Europe. Although travel was a significant part of his life, Robert loved making Springfield his home.

Robert’s career was marked by innovation and mentorship. He encouraged students to pursue higher education as a path to self-reliance and service to others. He established the university’s first student exchange program at King’s College in London, England, and later he developed other successful study-abroad programs in Spain, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama. He recruited native Spanish speakers to teach in local rural schools and also initiated the university’s first Spanish program via virtual distance-learning in 2000.

A kind and gentle spirit, Robert was generous with his time and talents. He volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and supported Habitat for Humanity. Robert was the owner of several yellow Labrador Retrievers throughout his life and became an instant friend to every dog he ever met. Robert found beauty in nature and could easily identify each tree in the Ozarks. He enjoyed writing poetry and collecting art and Oriental rugs. Near the end of his life, he relished time spent feeding the birds and listening to classical music.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Judith Martinez and her husband Chuy for their friendship. In addition, the family is grateful for the care and compassion provided by the medical staff at Mercy and Select Specialty Hospital.

A celebration of life will be held this spring, preceded by a private family graveside service with full military honors. To honor Robert’s legacy, a charitable fund has been established with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. Donations to The Dr. Robert L. Norton Family Fund will support community projects related to education, the arts, women and children, as well as animal welfare. Those wishing to make a tax-deductible contribution to the fund may do so online at cfozarks.org/donate or by mail to: Community Foundation of the Ozarks, P.O. Box 8960, Springfield, MO 65801.