Norman Leo Lefkovits Jr.

Norman was born on April 19, 1948, in Birmingham, Alabama, and grew up in Columbiana, Alabama. He graduated from the University of Alabama in 1970, where he was a proud member of Zeta Beta Tau. Shortly after college, Norman made his way to Southern California—a move that would shape the rest of his life and the lives of many others along the way; they know who they are—while also inspiring the term famously coined after him and Martha and their lifestyle in western Malibu: “Malibama.”

Little Norman began his career in the clothing business selling Sero shirts and Thompson trousers, where his salesmanship and forward-thinking vision led to the development of a traditional clothing store in West LA and Pasadena: Sousa and Lefkovits, and later Jones and Lefkovits. During this time, he met the love of his life, Martha Bodman, at a dinner table during the 1980s Nuevo California cuisine scene, whisking her away to Malibu.

In that same scene, he met the creators of the young surf brand Jimmy’Z and saw an opportunity to license the T-shirt line, which then led him to license the hat line of the next hot brand, No Fear. A true entrepreneur always ahead of his time, Norman’s creativity, instinct, and drive left a lasting mark on everyone he touched—a brand, a person, and a place. No one was a stranger, and everyone was a friend coming to dinner that night.

Known for his larger-than-life Southern personality, Norman possessed unmatched charisma, warmth, and a genuinely kind soul. He loved deeply, laughed often, told many a story, and definitely knew the next best thing—idea, trend, food, or genre—and if it wasn’t, he would sell it until it was.

His passion was fishing. It began with surf fishing and evolved into launching an eight-foot V-hull aluminum boat with a Johnson outboard—Sugar and Spike—off the beach in Malibu, a group known among the men he fished with as the “Butt Naked Club.” Later came his beloved Sugar Cubed (Sugar 3), a badass fishing boat during his No Fear days in San Diego. He is widely regarded by many of the men he fished with—and many who wanted to—as one of Southern California’s greatest fishermen. All Norman needed were the Seven Seas, and if you knew Norman, you know what they are.

Later in life, when the shakes took fishing from him, Norman became a devoted disciple of Fox News.

Norman was preceded in death by his stepson, James Allen Myers Jr.; his father, Norman L. Lefkovits Sr.; and his mother, Sonja Lefkovits.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 38 years, Martha Bodman Lefkovits; his stepchildren, Martha Julie Myers and Jason Michael Myers; his cherished grandchildren, James Norman Myers, Conrad Douglas Myers, Katharine Jewel Bruun, Tristan James Myers, and Brendan Michael Myers; and his sister, Marsha Lefkovits.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to all who supported Norman and his family for the extraordinary care, compassion, and kindness shown during and after his passing.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date, with details to be announced.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Norman’s honor to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

ROLL MF’n TIDE!!