THE ESTEEMED NORM GREENBERG

Norman, to his friends Norm, was born in Decatur, Illinois in 1934. He passed away in April 2025. What he left behind was a legacy to his profession, his community, and to the Americana collecting fraternity.

Norm graduated from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 1957. Along with his wife, Harriet, owned and operated Rambo Pharmacy in Decatur, Illinois for 48 years until retirement. During those years he achieved great business success and gave back to his community. He helped to establish the Macon County Conservation District, to protect the natural and cultural heritage of the area for public use and not for commercial development. He helped to establish a low-income health clinic and Planned Parenthood of Macon County. He was on the Board of Directors for the local YMCA and the Macon County Board of Supervisors. He even had a local health-centered radio program.

He received the Young Man of the Year award from the Decatur Jaycees and the Bowl of Hygeia for the state of Illinois, an award for outstanding community service. Norman was also a founding chapter president of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists for Illinois. He was a life member of the NRA, Illinois Rifle Association, The Decatur Gun Club, Okaw Valley Muzzleloaders, many other firearm collector organizations, and Temple B’nai Abraham.  

All the while doing all of this, Norm was an avid history buff and developed an amazing collection of historic firearms, especially Colt (SAA), Sharps and Winchester rifles, western leather goods, powder horns and flasks, and many other western related items. Like many kids of his time, he grew up watching westerns on TV. He especially loved John Wayne, and anything associated with Wyatt Earp as most American youth did at the time.

Norm belonged to an organization called Orville Dunham Antique Gun Collectors Association which he was a member of until his death. My father befriended, purchased firearms and was mentored by some of the great firearm collectors of Central Illinois. Names such as Tom Carter, Charlie Ferguson, Frank Hubbard Sr., Don Bryan, Jerry White, Bob Newsome, Howard Becker, Tom Olsen and Bruce Burtner. As Norm’s son, growing up around all of this instilled into me a great love of firearms and all that goes along with it. What he taught me was that what really matters is not the item itself but the people you meet and the stories that are told! Of particular note: Meeting Gaines deGraffenried, former curator of the Homer Garrison Memorial Museum at Fort Fisher at Waco Texas, now known as the Texas Ranger Museum. I was one of the first children outside of his family to see his collection and home. Meeting Marion Sturdevant in the hills of Arkansas. He turned out to be a friend of Ronald Reagan’s and used to hunt with him. My father taught me the importance of meeting people and learning from them. That’s what collecting is really about.

Norm and beloved wife Harriet planted the seeds of making connections with people, love of history and the love of state, federal and local parks in their children, Michele and Aric.

The firearm that started it all for Norm was a Marlin .22 Cal. Golden 39-A Mounted with a scope and his last purchased firearm was a cased Colt 1861 Army that belonged to a Jewish merchant from Santa Fe, New Mexico. His most prized firearm was the Wyatt Earp Colt SAA which is being offered for sale.

With the offering of the esteemed Norman Greenberg Collection at auction, these personal treasures are being presented to the next caretakers for them to enjoy and preserve their history for generations to come. I know this would make Norm very happy.

Aric Greenberg