Elizabeth Lacy Norman

Elizabeth Lacy Norman, born in Charleston, South Carolina, and raised in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina, passed away on March 9, 2026. With deep roots in New York City and most recently calling northwest Connecticut home, Elizabeth lived a life defined by purpose, curiosity, and unwavering commitment to justice and community.

A graduate of Oberlin College and the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, Elizabeth built a distinguished career in finance and nonprofit leadership. She served as Senior Director of Finance in the Reimbursement Consulting Department at New York City Health and Hospitals and, for more than a decade, as Senior Director at the International Rescue Committee, where she traveled extensively and formed meaningful connections with people around the world. She also dedicated her time and expertise to numerous boards, including the NYC Bird Alliance, Raising Health, and Action Corp, and previously co-chaired the board of the NYC AIDS Housing Network and served on the board of Brooklyn-based Neighbors Helping Neighbors.

Elizabeth was a lifelong learner and passionate participant in the world around her. She took French classes at the Alliance Française, attended animal tracking workshops at Great Mountain Forest, belonged to at least five book groups, and embraced a wide range of interests from birding and nature photography to ice skating, tap dancing, and the arts. Above all, she was known as a fearless champion of social and economic justice, a gifted networker, a devoted mentor, an LGBTQ activist, and a loyal friend. She was a proud Obie, a careful planner and risk taker, a voracious reader, and a tireless advocate who saw the good in others and worked to bring out their best.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Barbara, and her aunts, Carol and Johnine. Elizabeth is survived by her wife, Jane; her father, Wade; her mother-in-law, Martha; her dog, Hazel; her brother-in-law, Ian; her sister-in-law, Sarah; and many beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her, especially those who experienced her warmth, intellect, and generous spirit.