My great aunt Nora died last night after 86 incredible years on this planet. She lived an amazing life and had a profound effect on everyone she met. She was always the life of the party and appreciated being alive each and every day.
Born in 1918, the year of the influenza pandemic, Nora fondly became known as “Fluey” since she and my late Grandma Joan survived when their parents and so many others died from the flu. Nora and Joan were sent to live in separate orphanages in San Francisco. As children during Prohibition in the 1920s, they were paid by bootleggers to stand on the shores of the Pacific in San Francisco and alert them when booze ships would arrive.
In her later years, Nora owned and operated a business of her own, the Oaks Card Club in Emeryville. Her legacy lives on now and always.
My fondest memories of Nora include visiting with her and my late Grandpa Elmer in her Bodega Bay condo. Nora was nonstop fun, always telling stories that left me aching with the pain of so much laughter. I’ll always remember her story about the Roofer. Nora was also a great friend to Nana, who cherished the time they spent together in Bodega.
The whole family gathered last November to celebrate Nora’s 85th birthday. As usual, she was the life of the party, commanding all eyes as she danced and sang. It was a fitting celebration of her life and I’m grateful I was part of it. She declared at one point that we’d all be back again to celebrate her 90th birthday.
We will continue to celebrate life in your honor, Aunt Nora.
We all love you and miss you dearly.
1 response so far ↓
1 Sarah Crawford // Dec 6, 2004 at 2:48 pm
I just read about Aunt Nora. What a small world… my parents love the Oaks Card Club.