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Griffith Robert “Bob” Norfleet, 76, Lemont, Ill.
Obituaries · May 27, 2016



Griffith Robert “Bob” Norfleet, 76, of Lemont, Ill., died from complications of cancer May 18, 2016, at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital in Hinsdale, Ill., while surrounded by family. 

The family held a small, private memorial service on Saturday, May 21, in Lemont. According to his wishes, his body was cremated. Online condolences may be made at dupagecremations.com. 

Bob was born Jan. 26, 1940, to Griffith and Naomi “Dixie” (Pharr) Norfleet in Memphis, Tenn. He graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1957 and then attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., on an academic scholarship. He later transferred to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., where he graduated in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in physics. Bob then earned a master’s degree in business from the University of Chicago in 1965. 

While attending Vanderbilt, he met Katherine Eberhart at a bridge game. The two married on Feb. 16, 1963.

He worked as a computer programmer for Chicago Public Schools, American Hospital Supply, IBM (from whose offices he witnessed the Chicago Seven riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention) and others before starting The Metropolitan Newspapers in 1973 in the basement of his Timberlake Estates home. 

The family-owned business, called “The Met” by readers, grew to cover the cities of Bolingbrook, Darien, Timberlake Estates, Lemont and Romeoville. Due to health concerns, in 1994 he sold the business and the newspapers are still in publication today under Shaw Media. 

He was a member of the Lemont Chamber of Commerce, the Bolingbrook Rotary, the Downtown Lemont Main Street Program and Cook County Suburban Publishers. Bob was active in the Republican Party and ran unsuccessfully for state representative in 1993. 

He and wife Kay were members of Chicago Nazarene Church in Lemont and later became members of the Lemont Methodist Church. 

Survivors include his wife, Kay, of Lemont, Ill.; daughter Kristen (Geoff) Doty of Glen Ellyn, Ill.; sons Gregory (Robin) Norfleet of West Branch and Geoff Norfleet of Lemont, Ill.; six grandchildren: Elizabeth, Evan and Amanda Doty of Glen Ellyn, Ill., and Logan, Connor and Keaton Norfleet of West Branch; sister-in-law, Nancy (Doug) Martin of Littleton, Colo.; and many nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Catherine “Kit” Kuperstock.