Date: 7/15/26 3:28 pm From: Barry Haas <bhaas...> Subject: Passing of Dr. Norman Lavers
Dear ARBIRDers,
If you have been a part of the Arkansas birding community for a number of years, you may have crossed paths with Dr. Norman Lavers who passed away on June 8th at the age of 91. He taught at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Arkansas had always appealed to him as a region of great biodiversity. He was a frequent contributor of essays to Bird Watcher’s Digest.
After his retirement in 2000 he turned his attention to insects: first butterflies, then robber flies, then to insects in general. This resulted in a book, 100 Insects of Arkansas and the Mid-South, which he hoped would bring the fascinating lives of these creatures, so vital to us all, to a wide audience.
In 2018 he and his wife Cheryl moved to Tucson, Arizona. Their yard yielded interesting sightings from rattlesnakes and many bird species, bobcats, coyotes, javelinas, robber flies, gila monsters and mule deer.
Norman’s quick wit and the knowledge he was eager to share will be greatly missed by all.
One of the charitable entities for memorial donations in Norman’s obituary is the AAS Halberg Ecology Camp. Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 242088, Little Rock, AR 72223-0020. Cheryl Lavers served on the Ecology Camp Committee for many years including as co-chair.
Please contact me directly for Norman’s full obituary.
From the deep woods just west of Little Rock,
Barry Haas
<bhaas...>
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