Norman "Norton" Paul Moranz

Norman Paul "Norton" Moranz passed away July 11th, 2026, aged 66 years. Known for his quick, cutting wit, and instantaneous repartee, he is missed by friends who with sadness look forward to a celebration of his life at a later date.

Solitary by nature and notoriously jealous of his own company, Norton as he enjoyed being called, was born September 21, 1959, in Fort Macleod, where he lived almost all his life. Identified as possessing academic potential he was chosen for a scholastics experiment upon entry to elementary school and almost immediately 'accelerated' to Grade Two. Later though still a child Norton showed great promise as a marksman and his father began to groom him for the Winter Olympics Biathlon competition. Despite becoming one of the best rifle shots in the area by the time, he was fourteen as teenaged boys are won’t to do, he became interested in other things ... girls and cars (of course!), but also among them music.

Norton's lifelong passion for music took him on a journey that started with composing 'mix tapes' at home. His picks and editing ability rivalled the best late-night rock dee jays on radio at the time. His hard-earned cash was dedicated to acquiring records and audio equipment and arguably for years had the best (and loudest) stereo for many miles in any direction. He eventually combined this intrinsic quality with a flair for and interest in stage tech/community theatre, even moving to Edmonton to study lighting at Grant MacEwen College for a year before returning to Fort Macleod to become a fixture at Empress Theatre as the lighting and sound man for Great West Summer Theatre, and later as lighting consultant for New West Summer Theatre in Lethbridge

For several years he was the first call S&L technician for the RCMP Country Rock Band, travelling with them to their shows in different towns in British Columbia and Alberta. When South Country Fair outgrew its volunteer-run, borrowed stage sound/lighting gear, he was ready with his friend Gordon Landeryou to step in and offer a professional level of production value that was literally unrivalled in the folk festival world at the time.

After working for Artisan Electric at about this time he once again combined his skills and ever-accumulating pool of gear to form a partnership with Gordon and Rob Warburton, starting Impact S&L out of Lethbridge. Eventually incorporating consulting and custom design that business ran for more than a quarter century as Wavetech Sound & Lighting. The Yates and Empress Theatres, the University of Lethbridge sound studio, many club rooms, school auditoriums, community halls and churches across Southern Alberta and beyond benefitted from the rare pool of knowledge Norton and Gordon possessed in this field - he took great pride in his work.

When not working Norton loved to tour on his motorcycle, putting many miles on every season. During one two-month trip on a rare summer off he travelled through all ten provinces and as far as Newfoundland to dip his boot in the Atlantic Ocean, and as far west as one can go in Canada to Haida Gwaii, to dip that same boot in the Pacific.

Predeceased by his father Arno Moranz, Norton is survived by his mother Antonie (Toni), his brother Trent, sister-in-law Maureen Chambers, nephew Ryland and niece Gillian. He will be especially missed by his good friends Ron Kingston and Ruth Day.

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