Norman John Rier

Norman J. Rier, age 93, died Saturday, April 23, 2011 at the Kingston Residence of Perrysburg. Norman was born in Toledo on July 23, 1917 to Norbert and Margaret Rier. He was a 1935 graduate of St. Johns Jesuit High School where he studied German, Greek and Latin. Norm remained active with the St. Johns Alumni Association as long as he was able, truly a man for others. After high school, he attended the University of Toledo and was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity where he met his future business partner, John Arnold. Norm began selling real estate with John and eventually became his partner in Arnold Realty. Norm was a licensed broker in Ohio and Michigan for over 60 years and was President of the Toledo Board of Realtors in the 1960s when the Fair Housing Laws were adopted. He was an instructor of various Real Estate classes at the University of Toledo. He was appointed by the former Mayor of Toledo, John Potter, to the Board of Community Realty Relations, on which he gladly served. Norm sold Arnold Realty to Sulphur Springs Realty after many years of hard work and building a successful business. Norm had a deep appreciation and respect for the military. He joined the Marine Corp Reserves as a young man and attended Army Officer Candidate School. He gained the necessary skills to serve as a supply officer and field hospital trainer in the US Army eventually earning the rank of Lt. Colonel. Norm was also an active Reservist in the US Air Force for 29 years. He was a member of the American Legion Post. A lifelong member of the Toledo Yacht Club, Norm and his wife, Phyllis traveled countless miles on the water throughout the years aboard their cruiser Sea Gypsy, even making spectacular voyages to the North Channel in Northern Lake Huron several times. Norm was also a sailor and was able to enjoy sailing the Maumee River into his late 80s. Norman will be remembered most as a gentlemans gentleman whos word was his bond and truly believed anybody could be who they wanted to be. Norm is survived by his daughter, Suzanne Ted Hahn; grandchildren, Sean Christy Gilley, and Julie Brian Visser, great-grandchildren, Hannah and Collin Gilley, and Oliver, Teaghan, and Marah Visser; sister, Mary OShea Wight; nephews and nieces, Thomas Lisa Slagle of Houston, TX, Robert Laura Slagle, M.D. of Dallas, TX, Maureen Conroy, Kathleen Kerekes, Peggy Mutch, Terry Dickson, Ann Pigott, Molly Neville, and Jeff Madigan. He was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis; parents; brother, Robert Rier; and sister, Nancy Madigan. Friends may visit the family on Tuesday from 2-9 PM at the Walker Funeral Home, 5155 Sylvania Ave. west of Corey Rd. A Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday at Corpus Christi University Parish, 2955 Dorr Street, Toledo, OH 43607. Interment will follow at Ft. Meigs Cemetery in Perrysburg. Memorial contribution may be given to St. Johns Jesuit High School, 5901 Airport Hwy. Toledo, OH 43615; Corpus Christi University Parish, or Hospice of Northwest Ohio 30000 River Rd. Perrysburg, OH 43551. The family would particularly like to thank the staff at Kingston Residence of Perrysburg for their loving care of Phyllis and Norman during their 5 years of residence at Kingston. Hospice provided excellent physical and spiritual care of Norman during his final days. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting our website at www.walkerfuneralhomes.com.