On December 27, I attended the funeral of longtime Barrie barbershopper Norman Shelswell and it was difficult to believe that it was 53 years ago this coming January that Norm, Murray Hall, Fred Christmas, Archie Tait, Eddy Russell, Ron Whiteside and I piled into two cars and headed to the Barbershop Society’s Mid-Winter Convention in El Paso, Texas.
What a time we had – two young guys and five other barbershoppers in their thirties taking a singing adventure of a lifetime. The first thing Norm did was to purchase a large, black cowboy hat and thereafter became known as “Black Bart”. His impersonation of a sleeping Mexican on the old streetcar to Juarez was priceless.
Those who knew “Black Bart” might want to make a donation to Harmonize For Speech in his name, either by cheque to our treasurer, Bruce Dibble, or through the donation link on this page. Norm’s name will be recorded in the Memorial Book at Harmony Hall in Toronto and proceeds will go towards the Harmonize For Speech Language/Hearing Clinic at the new Sadlon Health and Wellness Centre at Georgian College in Barrie.

George Shields