Lawrence “Norb” Drouhard , a long-time International Peace activist died April 6 in Las Vegas, NV. He was 80. Drouhard, a U.S. Army WWII veteran had been active in the Anti-nuclear and Peace movement since the 1980s, most recently attending this year’s Good Friday protest at the Nevada nuclear test site. He had participated in peace marches in five continents including a march across the former Soviet Union in the 1980s. He is survived by sons James, David, Brian, Andrew and daughter Elisa Drouhard Sargent , and nine grandchildren, all of Washington State. He was a member of Veterans for Peace and graduate of the University of Kansas. A Memorial Service will be held at 7 PM, Friday April 8th at the Las Vegas Catholic Worker, 500 W. Van Buren. Contact 647-0728

- Ryan Hall

The local activist scene mourns one it's most inspiring members today. Norby to those of us who knew him, was a constant reminder of what it meant to serve the community.

Here was a man who fed the homeless, every day, while he himself lived out of a car. A man who, at 80 years old, walked to the nuclear test site to speak out against dangers he knew all too well. Norb would go out and demonstrate along the front of the federal building, or on the Strip, saying what needed to be said, alone, when necessary. His unending devotion was a constant inspiration to all of us.

People like Norby are the true heros of our time.

Lawrence "Norb" Drouhard, the people of Las Vegas honor and miss you. Thank you for serving and teaching us all so much.

His memorial will be held tomorrow at 7pm sharp at the Catholic Worker.

Directions and map linked below

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&addtohistory=&formtype=address&searchtype=address&cat=&address=500%20W%20Van%20Buren%20Ave&city=Las%20Vegas&state=NV&zipcode=89106%2d3039&searchtab=home

The Norbymobile
by An LVIMC Writing Group Thursday April 07, 2005 at 10:10 PM

Thank you No Nukes Norb! We'll keep going from where you left us.

Rest in Peace great Norb. Thank you for the memories, for your walking, your heart felt energy. Thank you for all the t-shirts, covered with signatures of peace people around the globe, that were a constant reminder that we are not alone in our work.

Norb, my memories of the tracks in Concord will always include your sweetness, kindness and warmth. You touched everyone who had the honor of meeting you.
Chris

Gosh Norb, I have thought about you all of the time - wondering how you were doing and if you were still in Vegas. I have so many wonderful memories of you. You have been a good elder and friend to me. All I can say is thank you, bless you, and I love you!

What a sensible and meaningfull life in an often abusrd society!

Got a note about Norb passing this morning in rainy Oakland and have been remembering his storries of organizing angry radical farmers in Washington state and working with rakiation survivors contaminated from Hanford Nuclear Reservation.

Memories of Norb in Spring '89 at dusk during a theatrical festival torchlight procession ("Mask 'O Rage"). Norb was arrested for no reason by plaineclothes cops and dragged-- his bare back scraping against the Mercury Highway blacktop--by the Sherrifs at the Test Site entrance. The authorities had put plainclothes cops in our crowd who tried to arrest people in the middle of us, provoking a confrontation. Some others were also arrested with him, so everyone shut down the Mercury Highway in and out of the Test Site. We refused to move as the employee busses backed up, we had our long meetings, played drums all night long, and we actualy all got our sleeping bags and spent the night sleeping in the middle of the Mercury Highway. Norb and a few other arrested were released that night to meet our demands, but they held onto one of us, so we did not move. Norb after being released and having been scraped up was in good spirits as ususal. The Sherrifs, used to things being choreographed and predictable, did not have enough cops to deal with us until the next morning. As the sun rose over the beautifull Great Basin desert ecosystem they struggled to pull us apart for two hours and clear the Highway (our demands were eventualy met and the last person was released).

I'm thinking somehow that Norb passing again prompts me into purposefull action (and reflection), not "against" as we did on the Mercury Highway, but more in honor of a life so well lived.

Love, Hope and Resistance, David

I will always remember Norb's Vitamin C Soup he'd make at the original APT office and his garden at ongoing peace camp. he was an amazing guy.
i'll say a prayer tonight at 7 with you all....PLease pass along that i will be with you in spirit tongight to anyone who might know me...
luv
linda

I have known and worked with Norb for many years. Never have I seen such dedication and just plain old "walkin' the talk"

Norb had a great big heart and lots of courage. He could and did go to pro-war, nuke, etc rallies and sit there in his camp chair with his WW2 medals and his anti-war, anti-nuke, and peace sign, and no one would bother him. Even they knew he had earned his right.

Norb didn't own much and I never understood how his raggedy-assed cars kept running, other than the blessings of the Creator, but he'd give you whatever
he had if you needed it.

So many people all over the world loved him and he will be missed. Thank you Norb for being one of the better parts of this life.

With Love and Solidarity,
Kalynda Tilges

On our walk in Ukraine, Norb would laugh at any adversity, yet be true to his mission at any opportunity to pay homage to those who died in WWII. In Kazakhstan, Norb mysteriously appeared ready to go without a visa. We of course snuck him in--no walk would be the same without him. Our last adventure was climbing the Peace Pagoda with Willie a couple of years ago. On the way up, way up, we saw a desert tortoise in a little cranny in the rocks-- a rare gift, just like Norb.

Thank you to whomever put these beautiful pictures and words on the internet.
Sue Navy

ahhhhhh,shit.whos gonna help me get in trouble now.i love you,i miss you and i am still looking forward to more mischief down the road.so long for now.pal.

We first met him on the corner of 125 South State Street - the home of our weekly peace vigil since October 2001. Norb faithfully sat at that corner each morning in his lawn chair with his sign that identified him as a veteran for peace. He stayed into the summer after the Iraq Invasion (2003) but then left for Vegas. What wonderful stories Norb told us and philosophies he shared. Truly an inspiration.

On behalf of the family, especially my mother, Pat Drouhard, I offer our thanks for the amazing and wonderful friends of Norb Drouhard, who journeyed with him on the path of peace. We are grateful for the Las Vegas Catholic Worker community who were his most recent home and helped to send dad/grandpa/partner off last week on his next walk. To them and to all - he loved you; thanks for being a gift to him.

Every time I load my crockpot, I think of Norb, whose enthusiasm for crockpot cooking caught on when he stayed at the Peace House in Washington, D.C. I have a file of postcards from Norb from all over the world. He spent several nights at various times at our signsfor nuclear disarmament north of the White House in Lafayette (Peace) Park,(see http://prop1.org), and spent time with us when he was vigiling at the Capitol Building or at the Department of Energy during the 1980's and 1990's. He wrote about his dream to marry a Russian woman and teach collective farmers i Russia how to successfully own their own farm. He sent photos of his vigil on the edge of Red Square for nuclear disarmament. His Norb-mobile came through DC several times, and he was always welcome with us. We were sad to hear Norb is gone, and pray that his legacy lives on in all the people whose lives he touched. Norb, we love you, and thank you for all you have done.

Ellen and Thomas
Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil (since 1981)
Washington, DC

Thank you Norb for the life and inspiration you have given. About two or three times a year Norb's red car would pull into Bethlehem Farm Catholic Worker ( a place he adored) in Washington. He would always be sure to not be a burden to others by sleeping in his car and plugging in his crock pot.
I recall all the good conversation we had about the farm worker's union of spokane. And the various protests in which you wold only give the name--"NO NUKES NORB!!"
I can you only picture you now walking freely into heaven greeted by old friends and inspirations of the past-- Saints and Heroes alike.
Thank you Norb for your life.

P.S.--Folks may be interested in knowing that Bethlehem Farm in Chehalis has been sold off and parceled up for the logging industry interests.

I met Norb at Bethlehem Farm and again hooked up with him at The Nevada Test site a few years ago. He was a proud member of Veterans for Peace and we had many discussions about how veterans can use their honored status in this military state to get a podium that some other peace makers may be denied. Norb always had a smile and a welcoming heart. Rest in God, Norb

Me and Norb were locked down in Brevard County jail for 65 days in 87 for trying to stop some new submarine nukes. Norb fasted for 46 straight days on 1 cup of coffee and half a grapefruit per day. Norb was tough and thoughtful and a true elder and totally committed to Peace. He was a good cell mate......I miss your sweet heart. Rollz

Thankyou for pointing out such a wonderful person that I am sure went unoticed sadly among many of us .

However most of all thank you for making sure he is respectfully honored at least in death as he should have been in life .

Job Open
by Jerry Bitts Tuesday August 23, 2005 at 12:34 PM
jbitts@cox.net (702) 869-8954 2948 Darby Falls Drive

8/23/05

To the Editor:

Since April there has been a job open on the Strip if you are a retired WWII veteran. The pay is not good, but the hours are short and it’s satisfying work. The position came open when Norb Drouhard died. I met Norb once in 2002. He told me he was a WWII veteran and his retirement “job” was to set up shop by a Strip casino with a home made peace sign. Unlike many of our politicians, Norb knew about war and he would try to sell peace to anyone who would listen. Norb said he only worked four hours a day, five days a week. After all, he was retired.

Since April there has been an empty spot on the Strip. Having been a WWII veteran is not really a job requirement because we’re running a little low on “the greatest generation.” You don’t even have to fill out an application either. Just show up with a sign and you’re in business. There’s no guarantee people will buy what you’re selling or that you’ll ever become famous in your work. Even if you did become famous, the conservatives would try to destroy you the way they did with Cindy Sheehan -- and the way they did with Jesus, I suppose. But, as I say, the hours are good and you’ll sleep well at night.

Jerry Bitts

I first met Norb at Peace Camp in 1987. Stayed with him someplace in Oregon or Washington State for 2 weeks, just me and him in a Franciscan house or something like that. I met him and stayed there in Washington DC on the streets in front of the Dept. of Energy, a vigil there, in 1990. Peace Camp again in 1988. I've been arrested with Norb dozens of times, saw his back like hamburger when the guards drug him across the desert, and if I remember right, Norb and I took the Nude Nuker to Tonapah. Woweeee!!! And I lived to tell that I drank Norb's Vitamin C juice AAAUUUwwgh!!! Oranges, Jalepenos, apples, peppers, celery, tomatoes, anything available and water, water, water, boiling it down all day!!! Man-sakes-alive, what a drink!!! I've got alot of stories, but I've been out of the loop. I got scared and ran to family life with a wife, a kid and all, those gov't guys can be mighty scary. A lot of the so-called friends in the peace camp turned out to be gov't agents, and the ATF guys and the evil DEA agents at our throats like the cover of Michelle Shocked album. That's the difference tween me and Norb, I guess. He didn't fear for himself. I only found out he died tonight, almost a year after his death. Sorry old buddy, not for you, though. Sorry I didn't write more, didn't get to talk more. Thanks for the stupid vitamin c drink and the talks, and I hope you made it to Heaven and Peace.

Thanks for this beautiful piece. And thanks for keeping Norb's memory alive!

Dad may have passed on, but his memory will be with all of those he touched for the rest of your lives. I have memories of a different man that what most of you know, but I'm learning more about the man he was for you. Especially as I type is bio that he wrote himself. Maybe someday I will fully understand why he left us to become a Peace Activist, but until then, rejoice in the memories you have of him. Him - my dad, your friend - everyone's angel.