It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Norman G. DeLisle Jr., one of Michigan’s greatest advocates for the disability community. For more than five decades, Norm was a force for change, a challenger of systems, a voice for fairness, and a mentor to anyone willing to question power.
A combat veteran of the First Air Cavalry Division, Norm brought his lived experience and sharp sense of justice to everything he did. His career spanned more than 50 years, including 13 years with Michigan
Protection and Advocacy Services and 18 years leading the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC) as Executive Director. His work reached nearly every corner of Michigan’s disability lands
cape, including medical, educational, psychiatric, substance use, and developmental support systems.
Norm was never one to do things halfway. Under his leadership, MDRC became a model for intersectional advocacy, building bridges between the disability and LGBTQ+
communities and pushing for a future where inclusion was not negotiable. He led with authenticity, showing up in his signature denim shirt, ready to listen, question, and act. Those who worked alongside him knew his leadership was not about titles; it was about trust, integrity, and action.
He was deeply devoted to his wife, Jill, and the life they built together. To his colleagues, Norm was more than a leader; he was a teacher, a protector, and a friend who believed in people’s capacity to choose their own path.
Norm’s influence will live on in every advocate he inspired, every policy he helped shape, and every person whose life is freer because he refused to accept anything less than equality.
Thank you, Norm, for reminding us to keep pushing, keep questioning, and keep fighting for what is right.