Born in Westfield, Massachusetts, Norstrand was the son of Ralph Ellis and Charlotte Hennessey Van Norstrand.
[1] He earned degrees from the University of Connecticut and Yale Law School (1961).
He was denied renomination by his party in 1986, and after completing his term in 1987 no longer served in elected office.
He worked as a lawyer for the Norwalk, Connecticut law firm Slavitt, Connery & Vardamis after leaving politics.
[2] Norstrand died on New Year's Day 1995 at the age of 57 in Darien.