Norman R. Paslay II was larger than life. From reverent to raucous, from pensive to loquacious, from hushed to hollering, one can still hear his booming “HELLO, NOW!” or, “That’s EPIC!” shattering the silence of, well, just about anywhere. Whatever NRPII could be, he could not be ignored. He put the exclamation point on every exchange and injected mirth into the monotony of the moment. (He would have bellowed at my alliterations!) He unwrapped the gift of laughter and distributed it to us all, and no one suffered more from his deprecatory style of humor than he, himself. His off-the-cuff characterizations of life around him continually cracked us up—like referring to Jeanie as “the Brunette,” or moaning about his family that was overpopulated with females as “drowning in a sea of estrogen.” Norm’s refreshing wit could turn the most mundane objects or situations into melt-down hilarity.
Yet, for all his merriment, a deep current of solemnity ran beneath the surface of Norman Paslay. His love of people, his awareness of the fragile sensitivity of those to whom he ministered, his ability to identify with children and youth, and his kindness to fellow-laborers endeared him to the world. He could shift from a light-hearted demeanor to meaningful commentary at such lightning speed that you knew that his laughter only served as a disarming cover for profound thoughts. It takes a gigantic intellect to pull that off, and he did it with class and ease. His election as district superintendent, his earning of a master’s degree later in life, and his recruitment as an FBI chaplain all testified to his intelligence and ability.
Multi-talented, charismatic persons often stumble over their own egos, but Norman Paslay maintained a humble and respectful spirit despite his success in local, state-wide, national and international arenas. He remained true to Apostolic doctrine, and he fiercely defended the holiness lifestyle. In addition, he possessed remarkable resilience. He refused to allow deep hurt, occasional betrayal and infrequent disappointments to taint his dedication to ministry. Situations that could have slowed him down only served to inspire and motivate him to do the work of God with greater excellence. Of all the aspects of his personality that people will miss, his coaching, encouraging, and affirming qualities top the list.
Norman R. Paslay II was a champion. He instantly brightened up a room just by walking in, he made so many people feel good with a sentence or two, and his generosity became legendary. No one of his caliber leaves us without creating a huge vacuum in the fellowship. We are poorer because he’s gone, but we are richer because he lived.