Mark Norton, a popular teacher at Bonny Eagle Middle School for more than 40 years, described as “the crazy guy that made education fun,” died Saturday at age 67.

Mr. Norton taught seventh-grade language arts at the school, which is in Buxton. He was passionate about photography and writing and kept a daily photo blog for several years.

He was remembered by fellow teachers this week as a creative, intelligent and fun-loving teacher who inspired his students to take chances.

“He was the crazy guy that made education fun,” said Ethel Atkinson, a reading specialist at the middle school. “He was a dynamic teacher. He looked like Einstein with his crazy hair. Every single kid wanted him as their teacher.”

Besides teaching, Mr. Norton was the adviser for the school newspaper and the yearbook for many years.

Mr. Norton retired last year. Though he was battling an illness, he continued to substitute teach and volunteered in the school library.

On Monday, several teachers gathered after school to share stories about him. Atkinson said Mr. Norton was an accomplished photographer and writer who shared his passion with his students.

“Kids were willing to write for him and take chances in his class,” she said. “He loved the kids the most. … This was his love, and in a way his second family.”

He was married to Ellen Norton for 40 years. The couple lived in Buxton, where they raised a son.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Norton’s wife shared the story of how they met. She was in her first year teaching at King Middle School in Portland. He was a student teacher there. She said they passed each other in the hallways, but never spoke. She taught in room 112 and he taught across the hall in room 113. Then, one day, some ninth-graders opened the back door to her art room, pushed Mr. Norton inside and shut the door.

“That’s how we started talking,” she said, chuckling. “We laughed because we realized what happened. I knew he didn’t have a car, so I started offering him rides home and we started going out.”

Ellen Norton said Wednesday that she and her husband shared a beautiful life together. The couple spent summers restoring their 200-year-old farm house in Buxton. They gardened and traveled extensively throughout the state. He would take pictures and she created paintings of their memories. She said he was fun, spontaneous and ready for anything. “We would hop in the car and go all over the place,” she said. “We liked to have fun.”

For several years, Mr. Norton maintained a daily photo blog of his work. “He loved to write and tell stories,” his wife said.

Mr. Norton had been sick over the past year. His wife said he always had a positive attitude and never lost his sense of humor.

“He used to call me the love of his life, and I would call him the love of my life,” she said. “I’ll miss his companionship.”