Tamara Sue (“Tammy”) Glise-Norris, 66, St. Joseph, Missouri passed away March 2, 2024, following a courageous battle with cancer.
She was born January 22, 1958 in St. Joseph to Wyllis LeRoy Glise (d. 1998) and Alma Jeannine Glise (née Borngesser).
Tammy attended St. Joseph’s Blair, Hall, and Bliss schools and graduated from Central High School in 1976. She completed a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature at Missouri Western State College (St. Joseph) and a Master’s of Library Science at the University of Missouri (Columbia, Missouri).
She held positions in librarianship at Rolling Hills Library (St. Joseph) and Cedar Rapids Public Library (Iowa), prior to her position at Missouri Western (St. Joseph) as an advisor where she administered special-needs testing to students and organized all international study abroad programs.
During her tenure in Cedar Rapids, her library was destroyed during the 2008 flood. Tammy, with her team of 10 coworkers, donned hazmat suites and for several days and waded through 4-feet of stagnant water in the library to save holdings, including hundreds of priceless original drawings from children’s books penned by ‘Dr. Seuss,’ Margaret and Hans Rey (authors of “Curious George”), and other illustrations, appraised at millions of dollars.
Given the lack of local funding, but recognizing that Cedar Rapids is “Sister-City” of Prague, Czechoslovakia, Tammy personally called Pavel Bém, then mayor of Prague, and requested assistance which led to their meeting and subsequent hundreds of thousands of dollars donated by the citizens of Prague for the library reconstruction.
Following that action, the American Library Association chose Tammy as “2009 Librarian of the Year,” an honor that Tammy refused, “...unless my entire team is also recognized.” The Library Association readily agreed to this unprecedented request and the award was presented at their national conference in Seattle.
A voracious reader, international traveler, cook, and animal lover, Tammy leaves behind her husband Jim Norris of the home, her mother, Jeannine Borngesser-Glise (both of St. Joseph); two brothers, Anthony LeRoy Glise (Sainghin-en-Mélantois, France) and Christopher Guy Glise (Savannah); children, Hermione Drake Filbert-Roman (Andy) of Independence, Iowa, Morgan Graham Filbert (Sarah) of St. Joseph; grandchildren, Lilly Warbass, Rose, Daisy, and Violet Roman, and Talisa Filbert; stepchildren, Tabitha Sue Norris, Jessica Rolleen Norris; step-grandchildren, James Roman, Amaya Jaide, Cassidy Raye Lee, and Malachi Jordan Norris, Avarii Rose and Kaleya Jade Dillard, Hiro Kingston Pollard, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, colleagues, and countess dear friends.
Farewell Services and Public Livestream 2:00 P.M. Sunday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. In lieu of a graveside ceremony, Tammy’s ashes will be distributed at some of her favorite sites throughout the US and Europe. Tamara requested memorial gifts to www.WildlifeSOS.com. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.
