Davis, Norman Oscar III – Of Crossville, TN, age 50, died Monday, March 13, 2023, after a brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer.

There will be a visitation and remembrance for friends at Crossville Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory at 2653 N. Main St in Crossville on Saturday, March 25, 2023, from Noon to 3 pm. Cremation has taken place per Norm’s wishes, and he will be interred at a later date.

Norm was born in Flint, MI on June 24, 1972, the son of Norman Jr. and Carol (VanZyll) Davis. He was a 1990 graduate of Grand Blanc High School. He was employed at Manchester Tank in Crossville, TN where he was a member of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers.

Norman grew up in the Flint, MI area surrounded by many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Being the third generation of his name, he was called several variations of it during his youth. “Chip” was the moniker that stuck for most of his childhood. That name wouldn’t fly as a grown man, so he adopted a few others including the now-famous ND3.

He played little league baseball growing up but found his real passion in music. He played bass guitar and electric guitar over the years.  His tastes did have some range but primarily focused on hard, headbanging, heavy metal rock-n-roll. Rush, Iron Maiden, Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, and many others could be found playing on the stereo in his house or the radio in his truck. He eventually accepted the technology of earbuds and could be found wearing them most of the time while working and doing his “chores”. Don’t let the long hair and hard rock fool you, Norm would also be found listening to the “King of Rock and Roll”, Elvis Presley. An affliction he came by naturally from his parents. The Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite was a favorite.

ND3 was very regimented with his time. He had balanced his life around his work schedule to accommodate laundry day, grocery trips, and “computer day”, and always made time for Golf Day. Golfing was one of his favorite outdoor pastimes. You could call or text him anytime, and he may or may not answer, but if you showed up at his door unannounced, he would definitely not answer the door. That was not on his schedule.

He was a terrific handyman and could often be found on his “side hustle” performing work and repairs for folks on their homes and yards. He took great pride in his work and the manner in which he completed it. Any repair job that was more than one day long, could be found as intact or better than it was when he started his work. He would meticulously clean and straighten his worksite at the end of each day.

At Manchester Tank, Norm started as a welder and recently moved into the shipping and receiving department. During his time there he became a member of the IAM Union Lodge 2212, serving the last several years as the Recording Secretary for the local. He was always quick to tell people how superior his propane tanks were and where you could purchase one.

Norm had moved to Tennessee many years ago for a fresh start after some tough years in Michigan. He found a career, bought a home, and built a comfortable life for himself. He would be the first to tell you he could not have done this without the amazing friendship and support of his friend Randy Elwell and his wife Darlene.

Norm was preceded in death by his parents Norm Jr. and Carol Davis, his sister Bridget Grooms, and several other family members. His niece Cassidy Grooms, and nephew Kyle (Maddison) Grooms, along with their father Brian Grooms, and many other family and friends are left to cherish his memory.