Norm Hasbrouck was an uplifting, caring person who loved soccer and helping people, especially students.
His sudden death Sunday at age 62 has shocked the California community.
An obituary appears on Page A4.
Hasbrouck was serving as special assistant to the president/director of continuous improvement at California University of Pennsylvania at the time of his retirement in 2013.
He had been a California Area School Board member for the past eight years.
In a statement, Cal U interim President Geraldine M. Jones said Hasbrouck, “always put the university and its students first.”
“He exemplified the university's core values, and we will remember him as a dedicated professional, a generous philanthropist and an advocate for Cal U,” Jones said.
“Our campus community is saddened by his loss, and our hearts go out to his family.”
California Area School Board member Barry Niccolai knew Hasbrouck well in both roles they shared.
Niccolai, serving as dean for residence and off-campus student life when he retired in 2012, said he encouraged Hasbrouck to join the California Area School Board when a vacancy occurred in 2006.
“From what he did for the students at Cal U and the California Area School District, California is a better place for it,” Niccolai said.
Niccolai said Cal U students knew Hasbrouck as the person to help them get what they needed.
“Norm was a very approachable guy, willing to help anyone in need in any circumstance,” Niccolai said.
Niccolai said that as a school director, Hasbrouck was equally concerned with academics, the budget and student activities.
“He understood the importance of the balance all of those and offering the students all we could,” Niccolai said.
Niccolai said Hasbrouck's death is a great loss to the California community.
“He was a leader, he was a joiner, he was a doer,” Niccolai said.
“He wasn't one to sit back and let other people do things.”
Niccolai said Hasbrouck “truly believed in the Cal U story and the opportunities it provides.”
California Area Superintendent Brian Jackson said, “Norm Hasbrouck was a very giving person.
He was involved in the school, his community and he tried to tie everything together for everyone.”
Hasbrouck was heavily involved with PA West Soccer, which oversees youth soccer in the western half of Pennsylvania.
On its website, the association posted: “Executive Board member Norm Hasbrouck passed away suddenly after suffering a heart attack while officiating a high school soccer game. Hasbrouck was active in almost every area of soccer in Western PA, serving on the PA West Soccer Executive Board and State Referee Committee, as well as tenures in Washington County Soccer's California Area chapter, TOPSoccer, as a PIAA official, and as chair of the George Allen Scholarship committee.”
Past PA West Soccer President Natalie Schwoeble said Hasbrouck wore many hats for the association. He served as state assigner, overseeing scheduling of referees for games.
In addition, he officiated games, was an instructor for new referees and assessed the work of game officials.
“He was a huge contributor, and as a person, he was always uplifting and caring and a bright, shining star in any event we had,” Schwoeble said.
“He was a mentor for many, many referees. They looked up to him and he was a caring person.”
Schwoeble said she considers Hasbrouck's death “a personal loss.”
“He's irreplaceable,” Schwoeble said. “It's a huge loss for soccer.
“It's a personal sadness for me and many people who considered him a friend.”
Chris Buckley is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-684-2642 or cbuckley@tribweb.com.
