Norman McPhee Obituary

Norman McPhee

July 3, 1936 - November 3, 2024

Norman 'Norm' Charles McPhee, 88, passed away peacefully on November 3, 2024 in Payson, Utah. He was born on July 3, 1936 in Logan, Utah to Charles Benjamin McPhee, Jr. and Gladys Jessop McPhee.

Norm received his BFA and MFA in theatre arts from Utah State University. In 1959, he married Carol Christensen and joined the United States Navy. During his service, they welcomed two daughters, Jennifer (Jenny) and Cari.

Norm became the Managing/Artistic Director of the Racine Theatre Guild (RTG) in Racine, Wis. in 1969 and retired in 2001. He directed over 200 productions as he worked part-time until 2015. He brought the theatre through immense waves of change during his tenure, including overseeing the construction of the Northwestern Avenue venue in 1976. He developed educational theatre programs and international tours with performances in eight foreign countries, including the first United States amateur theatre exchange of productions with the USSR.

During his time in Racine, Norm also welcomed a third daughter, Sara, with Carol, and a fourth daughter, Rachel, with his second wife Marsha Nelson.

Norm was also a founding member of the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT). He received the State of Wisconsin's Governor's Award in Support of the Arts, the Cultural Achievement Award by the Theatre Society of the Republic of Georgia, The Life Service Award from the Wisconsin Theatre Association, and AACT's 2020 David C. Bryant Outstanding Service Award.

He made life-long friendships at RTG and nurtured the talents of budding performers. Norm was known for his strong leadership skills, attention to detail, and commitment to his craft. He built an organization and theatre that continues to grow from his original vision. In his final years, Norm returned to Utah for assisted care with family members nearby.

Norm is survived by his daughters, Jenny McPhee, Sara McPhee Lafkas (John), and Rachel McPhee-Benson (Rob), grandchildren, Caroline, Ellie, and Reggie, his brother, Jerold (Jerry) McPhee (Terrell), nieces Krista McPhee Smith (Tom), Ashleigh Allen Thompson (Jim), and nephew, Bryn (Bridget) Allen. Norm was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Cari McPhee Evelyn, and sister, Kathleen McPhee Allen.

Norm was laid to rest in Utah. A local memorial reception will be held Sunday, April 27 at the Racine Theatre Guild, 2519 Northwestern Ave., Racine, WI 53404. The public is invited to gather starting at 2 p.m. with songs, memories, and music beginning at 3 p.m. An RSVP is encouraged with livestream details also available at https://bit.ly/NormServiceRSVP.

The family requests donations in Norm's honor to his family fund final expenses: https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-norm-mcphee.