Dr. Norman G. Goss, timekeeper at Linfield football and basketball games for a half century, passed away Wednesday morning at Oregon Health Sciences University.

Goss, 88, suffered a stroke Saturday and was taken by Life Flight helicopter to the Portland hospital.

"Linfield has lost one of its most faithful alumni," said college sports information director Kelly  Bird. "Norm's love of the college and its athletic programs really is symbolic of an entire generation of people who have devoted themselves to serving and supporting Linfield for so many years. We will miss him greatly."

A 2000 inductee into the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame, Goss was a fixture at Linfield athletic events for more than 50 years. His service to the Linfield football and basketball programs continued through 2011 seasons.

A member of the Linfield Class of 1946, he was the subject of a recent feature story in the Linfield Magazine.

When Bird asked Goss last year how old he was, Goss replied matter-of-factly, “I’ve celebrated my 29th birthday three times.”

Born in 1923, Goss is survived by his wife, Phyllis (Cochrane) Martin ’46 of McMinnville, and more than a dozen family members who attended Linfield, including brothers, sisters, cousins, children and grandchildren.

Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church in McMinnville.