Bob Norris, The Marlboro Man, Never Smoked A Day In His Life

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Robert "Bob" Norris. The Marlboro Man. 1929-2019.

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FROM:

Robert 'Bob' Norris, an Original 'Marlboro Man' Who Never Smoked a Day in His Life, Dies at 90

Norris died on Nov. 3 in the care of Pikes Peak Hospice and surrounded by his family

By Joelle Goldstein Published on November 8, 2019 11:49PM EST

Robert “Bob” Norris, the “ruggedly handsome” cowboy who rose to fame as the “Marlboro Man”, has died. He was 90.

Norris passed away on Nov. 3 in his hometown of Colorado Springs, Colorado under the care of Pikes Peak Hospice, according to his obituary. He was surrounded by his family at the time of his death.

The Colorado native is best known for being one of the first to portray the “Marlboro Man” in the cigarette company’s commercials.

In the ads, Norris was always featured in a fictional world of ranching, wearing cowboy attire — including his iconic cowboy hat — as he held a cigarette in either his mouth or his hand.

His family said it was “his tall, ruggedly handsome, lanky good looks that landed him the unexpected role,” but despite having a cigarette in his mouth or hand for around 14 years, Norris never smoked a day in his life.

He eventually abandoned the Marlboro campaign when he had kids, claiming that his role in the commercials was “setting a poor example for his children,” his obituary states.

Born in 1929, Norris grew up in Illinois, attending Elgin Academy in St. Charles, before heading south to attend the University of Kentucky and play for their football team. In June 1950, Norris married Jane Wright.

That same year, Norris, who primarily came from a family of financiers and lawyers, went into the horse and cattle business after learning the ranching business from an uncle.

By 1953, Norris and Wright had moved to Ft. Collins, Colorado and purchased the Rist Canyon ranch. They remained there until 1957 when the couple decided to start having children.

They eventually moved to Black Forest, settling down in the Broadmoor area, and also established roots in Paradise Valley, Arizona for a winter home.

While in Colorado, Norris purchased the T-Cross brand, which is now the oldest registered brand in the state, and eventually bought a 20,000-acre land that became the T-Cross Ranch. He later bought a second ranch in Arizona.

The ranches soon became the place where Marlboro intended to shoot their very first commercials and photograph horses.

However, after showing up and meeting Norris, the tobacco company decided to replace their professional model with him, as Norris seemed incredibly authentic to the role and “already dirty.”

Aside from making him a well-known name in the industry, T-Cross Ranch also helped Norris develop longlasting friendships — he and legendary actor John Wayne became close pals after Wayne started coming to many of his horse sales — and venture into the philanthropy world.

In 1988, he founded Roundup for Autism, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness and funds for the Autism Treatment Centers of Texas.

The cowboy found it especially rewarding to combine his love for ranching with philanthropy, and organized special animal rides for disabled children — an experience his obituary says provided the kids with a “transformative experience in the great outdoors.”

As he aged, Norris found enjoyment in watching his family, including his four children — Steve, Carole, Leslie, and Bobby — 13 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren, work together on the ranch.

“Bob was a man of unassuming manner that belied his vast accomplishments,” the obituary states. “A devoted husband and father, he doted on his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and cherished the homes he and his wife created, not just for their expansive beauty and exquisite taste, but because they were the heart of activity for family and friends.”

“Did Bob ever retire? He made his last range ride in 2017, but always remained actively engaged in ranch operations, and avidly interested in the future through his grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” the obituary goes on. “‘It’s been a good run,’ he once said. He never sold his saddle. He knew he’d need it when it was time to ride into the sunset.”

A celebration of life was held in his honor on Friday in Colorado Springs.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to Roundup for Autism or to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), which helps families of fallen veterans.

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FROM:

ROBERT C. NORRIS

April 10, 1929 November 3, 2019

Robert C. Norris, husband of the late Jane W. Norris, passed on peacefully in the care of Pikes Peak Hospice, November 3, 2019, surrounded by his family. "Bob" was born on April 10, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois to Dellora and Lester Norris. He attended Elgin Academy in St. Charles, Illinois, where he grew up. He attended the University of Kentucky, where he played football under Coach Paul William "Bear" Bryant.

On June 24, 1950, he married his wife, Jane Wright, and in 1953, the couple moved to Colorado where they created their permanent home in the Broadmoor area, and later created a winter home in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

In 1950 Bob went into the horse and cattle business, with one of his first purchases being the T-Cross brand-the first brand registered in Colorado. A few years later Norris established that brand with the purchase of 20,000 acres that became the start of the T-Cross Ranch south of Colorado Springs, later to be home to 150 head of horses and more than 1,000 cow and calf pairs, and eventually to expand to a 63,000 acre spread. A second ranch was later established in Arizona. After 69 years, the T-Cross Ranches have one of the most distinguished reputations in the industry, with well-established leadership in both Quarter Horse and cattle operations.

If any man could be described in three words, for Bob they would be "the real deal." His solid authenticity, whether astride a horse, sitting in a board room, mentoring a child or sharing a moment with a friend, was his personal and professional brand. No doubt it was these qualities-along with his tall, ruggedly handsome, lanky good looks-that landed him the unexpected role of the first Marlboro Man on television.

For a number of years, Norris was a member of the Board of Trustees for the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, also known as the Cowboy Hall of Fame, which inducted his friend John Wayne. Norris began serving on the Board of Directors in 1972 and remained on the board until his own induction, at which time he was included in a special category: The Hall of Great Westerners.

What made Bob a great Westerner were qualities like fairness and generosity, paired with shrewd management and a keen eye for quality. His cattle, including Herefords, Salers and a mix of the two, attracted attention world-wide. The ongoing development of the American Quarter Horse was one of his prime interests, and his ranches produced a long list of champions.

Norris served as 1982 American Quarter Horse Association president, as President of the Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association, and served on numerous boards, including the FBI Citizens Academy in Arizona, the Colorado Board of Agriculture, the Pikes Peak Cattleman's Association, to name only a few. He received a 55- year pin for Pikes Peak Range Riders in 2017, and became an honorary member of Cowboy Artists of America. His love of the arts also brought him to the founding board of the Colorado Festival of World Theatre.

Colorado Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell praised Norris for "embodying the spirit of the West." Indeed, Bob sometimes seemed a real-life example of a Louis L'Amour character. Bob was an avid reader of L'Amour, whose own commitment to authenticity and personal experiences made his characters and stories ring true. Norris and L'Amour met and became fond acquaintances.

In the 1980s, Bob was called upon to represent thirty-seven of his family members who owned stock in Texaco in what was then the largest lawsuit in the U.S. He was tasked with organizing a committee to ensure shareholders were treated fairly when Texaco, the nation's third-largest oil company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Bob helped negotiate the settlement down to 3 billion dollars in 48 hours, preventing a hostile takeover and saving pensions for thousands of retirees.

In 2003, Bob adopted a baby elephant that had been orphaned in Zimbabwe. When "Amy" got too big for the ranch-eight feet tall and weighing in at 4,000 pounds-he sent her to Buckles Woodcock in Florida, where she enjoyed a comfortable, humane life among other elephants. In her retirement, Amy lived at the Fresno Zoo, once again finding a home with animal companions and benevolent humans who cared for her. Norris continued to visit Amy throughout her life until her passing in 2016. The unusual relationship between Cowboy Bob and Amy the Elephant is chronicled in A Cowboy and His Elephant by Malcolm MacPherson, published in 2001. The beautiful story is told again in the children's book Cowboys Love Elephants Too by his daughter Carole Sondrup, which was published in 2018 and won the prestigious 2019 Mom's Choice Award.

Bob was a man of unassuming manner that belied his vast accomplishments. A devoted husband and father, he doted on his grand-children and great-grandchildren, and cherished the homes he and his wife created. Bob and Jane loved their communities and their friends. They were the oldest members of the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, and decades-long members of Garden of the Gods Club, Broadmoor Golf Club, and the Paradise Valley Country Club in Arizona.

Norris considered the highlight of his life to be "the joys of family working together" on the ranch. The family legacy continues with the T-Cross ranches in Colorado and Arizona, and with son Bobby's successful ranch and horse-training operation near Fort Worth, Texas.

Bob is survived by his eldest sister Lavern Gaynor of Naples, Florida; and by his and Jane's four children: Steve Norris; Carole Sondrup and son-in-law Ron Sondrup of Windsor, Colorado; Leslie Penkhus and son-in-law Bob Penkhus of Colorado Springs; and Bobby Norris and daughter-in-law JJ Norris of Ft. Worth, Texas.

Bob is also survived by thirteen grandchildren including (children of Steve Norris) Shada Brazil, Steven Norris, and Kayla Norris; (children of Carol and Ron Sondrup) Ryan Sondrup, Jennifer Dunn, and James Sondrup; (children of Leslie and Bob Penkhus) Robbie Penkhus, Jamie Cohen, and Chad Penkhus; and (children of Bobby and JJ Norris) Ashley Norris, Audra Norris, Gates Norris, and Rhett Norris. Bob is also survived by eighteen great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held Friday, November 8 at 1:00pm - 3:00pm at the Norris Penrose Event Center, 1045 Lower Gold Camp Road, Colorado Springs. Funeral services are private and private entombment will be at the Shrine of Remembrance Mausoleum, Gate of Heaven, alongside his beloved wife, Jane, who preceded him in death in 2016. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Roundup for Autism www.RoundupForAutism.org or to TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) www.taps.org/colorado which helps families of fallen veterans.

Published in The Gazette on Nov 7, 2019.