Norman Guy Damon

Norman Guy Damon - December 6, 1930-October 20, 2026

Norm was born December 6, 1930 in Benkelman, Nebraska, the second of five children born to Erma Guy Damon and Norman "Jack" Damon.

The family later settled in Denver, Colorado, where Norm attended school in the south Denver area. He grew up in a hard working family, and he and his siblings worked growing up at jobs such as setting up bowling pins in a bowling alley; delivering the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News by bicycle; delivering fresh chickens by bicycle to residents of the Capitol Hill neighborhood; working at a hotel restaurant; selling their Mother's crocheted items door to door in their neighborhood; construction jobs; whatever they could to earn money.

Norm joined the Naval Reserves in May 1948 while still in high school at South High. After graduation in 1949, he worked as a laborer, following in his Father's footsteps for a time.

In February 1951, Norm and several of his buddies from high school who were in the Naval Reserves went on active duty and served together on the aircraft carrier, USS Antietam, CV36, Fighter Squadron 713, during the Korean War in the Sea of Japan. Norm was an Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class. He was on active duty from February 1, 1951 until December 6, 1952, and in the Reserves from May 8, 1948 to September 19, 1961.

On May 25, 1952, Norm married his high school sweetheart, Betty Koogle, while home on leave from the Navy. They moved to Alameda Naval Air Station, California, where he was stationed until his discharge from the Navy. Following his discharge, he and Betty moved back to Denver. Norm and Betty had two children, Sandra, born October 1, 1960 and Gary, born November 19, 1961.

Norm attended Emily Griffith Opportunity School to study Drafting. While there, he learned of a job opening for a draftsman at Sun Oil Company (Sunoco) in Denver. He applied and got the job in 1952 and worked in the Denver office. He was promoted to Senior Draftsman in Denver. In 1961, Norm was transferred to Sun Oil Company's Southwest Production Division in McAllen, Texas. In McAllen, he was promoted to Oil and Gas Scout and was transferred to Victoria, Texas as a Scout-Landman. From there he was transferred to Corpus Christi, Texas as a Landman, then to Jackson, Mississippi in the same capacity. In 1974, he was transferred back to the Denver office as Sr. Landman.

Norm was with Sun for 25 years, first as a draftsman, then as Landman. After being transferred back to Denver, he eventually resigned from Sun, and worked for DEPCO, Inc., a subsidiary of DeKalb AgResearch headquartered in Illinois. The office was in downtown Denver, when the oil business was booming. After five years at DEPCO, he became an Independent Petroleum Landman, had his own office downtown, which he shared with a geologist friend, and did land work for several companies, including Bass Enterprises, LoneTree Energy and Williams Companies. He finally retired in 2015 at age 85.

He was a member of the American Association of Petroleum Landmen and the Denver Association of Petroleum Landmen.

Norm was a two-time colon cancer survivor, first at age 60, then again at age 85. Other health issues slowed him in recent years until at age 95, he passed, peacefully.

Norm is survived by his wife, Iris, who he married in 1984; daughter Sandra Ocker; grandson Chris Ocker; two sisters-in-law, Rose Marie Damon Speight and Patricia Griffith; cousins, and a number of nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his son, Gary; son-in-law, Dale Ocker; brothers Victor and Harlan Damon; sisters Helen Reno and Rowena Horton, and former wife, Betty Damon Blecker.

Also survived by Iris's family; Dawnie (Kerry) Di Lorenzo; Carrie Monte; and Connie Ryman; grandchildren Aaron Corn; Brandon Ryman, Alec Di Lorenzo, and Kaycee Griffin; great grandchildren, Ruby, Naomi and Winnie Corn; and Lyla Griffin.

A Celebration of Life will be Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 11:00 A,M. at Horan & McConaty, 3101 South Wadsworth, Lakewood, CO 80227, with a light lunch following.

A Veteran's Ceremony will follow at 2:00 P.M. at Fort Logan Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to a charity of choice.