Norman Seip

Norman W. Seip, an Erie resident from 1940 to 2011, died on Friday July 20, 2018 in Evanston, IL.  He was 99 years old. 

Norman was born on December 12, 1918 in Chicago, IL, to the former Ella A. Hausler and Ernst W.J. Seip.  He was educated in the Chicago public schools, graduating from Tilden Technical High School as Valedictorian in 1936.  He then attended the University of Illinois, Champaign, IL,

where he was elected Junior Class President in 1938-1939 and was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.  He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1940. 

Norm was hired by General Electric immediately upon graduation and was assigned to the Erie Works of GE as a Management Trainee.   When World War II broke out, the Erie Works shifted its production to war materiel, and Norman worked as a test engineer for electric torpedoes.  Following the war, he worked in increasingly responsible management positions in various parts of GE Erie’s businesses, including locomotives, transit equipment, and off-road heavy equipment propulsion.  He took early retirement from GE in 1974 and went on to become President of Westcode, Inc., the US subsidiary of Westinghouse Brake and Signal, before founding Norman W. Seip and Associates, a railway equipment consultancy to railroads and railroad equipment leasing companies in 1979.  He sold this company in 2005. 

In 1945, Norman married the former Margaret Ann “Dee” Decker of Erie.  She survives him.  Together they raised two children in Erie, Tom Seip, now of Easton, Maryland, and Christy Seip Fowler of Winnetka, IL.  In addition to his wife and children, Norman leaves four grandchildren, Parker Seip, Jake Seip, Hayley Fowler Monahan and Liza Fowler.  He also leaves two great grandchildren, Oliver Norman Seip and Amelia Margaret Seip. 

When not working for GE, Norman worked for the Erie community.  At various times, he was Chairman of the Erie County United Way, President of the Erie Club, and a member of the Hamot Medical Center Board of Corporators, to mention just a few of the organizations to which he devoted his time and energy.  

Norm was member of the Erie Yacht Club until age 98.  He was also a long -time member of the Kahkwa Club and remained a member of the Erie Club until his death. 

Norman was a life -long sailor and boater.  He courted Dee Decker on his Comet sailboat during the War years, and later owned a succession of power boats.  He was an avid gardener, tending to his flowers and vegetables until his late 80’s.  His love of the land included his beloved Ridgefield Farm, near Edinboro, where he raised Charolais cattle, planted hundreds of trees, and held many GE employee picnics. He and Dee enjoyed spending winters at their condominium in Naples, Florida, for over twenty-five years.  Naples became their primary residence for two years after leaving Erie and before moving to The Mather retirement community in Evanston to allow daughter Christy to manage their care. 

In addition to his parents, Norman was preceded in death by his sister, Phyllis Seip Shea, of Cincinnati, OH. 

A memorial service celebrating Norman’s life will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, 250 W. 7^th Street, Erie, on Tuesday, July 31^st at 11:00 a.m.   Commitment of the remains, at Laurel Hill Cemetery, will be private. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made in his name to his two favorite charities: The Salvation Army of Erie, 1022 Liberty St., P.O. Box 737, Erie, PA 16512, or The Mayo Clinic, Department of Development, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905. 

Arrangements are entrusted to Burton Funeral Home, 602 W. 10^th St., Erie.   Send condolences at www.Burtonfuneralhome.com.