Tribute

Nora Elizabeth Frank was born in McMurdo B.C. For those of you who don’t know, Mc Murdo was a very small community on the Columbian River.  It was named after a settler who was not famous for anything and, to the best of our knowledge, no longer exists.

Nora and her family moved to the much bigger town of Revelstoke when she was very young and she remained there until the age of 20. After high school graduation she entered training to be a psychiatric nurse. This career choice ended after a patient threw a meal tray in her face, breaking her teeth.  Nora made lifelong friends in Revelstoke and also met one Harry Ben Friesen. A long standing rumor has it that they met when Harry caught Nora and friends skinning dipping in one of the local lakes.  Love at first sight.

Nora and Harry only dated about 3 months before getting married.  They were married at the United Church in Revelstoke on August 25^th 1956.  That was the beginning of a journey that lasted over 50 years.

Immediately after the wedding, Nora and Harry moved to Vancouver so Harry could begin his career with the Vancouver City Police.  They lived there about 9 years and in that time had all their children-Patricia Joan (1957), Douglas Wayne (1962) and Bryan Scott (1965).

In 1965, the need and desire for a bigger house and yard prompted a move to Coquiltam.  They bought a 3 bedroom raised bungalow for the outrageous price of $14,000. They lived there until 1994.  This period saw Nora and Harry raise their children, become active in their neighborhood and take regular camping holidays.  Nora and Harry became active members at the nearby Coquiltam Curling Club. Nora was a very strong curler and had many bonspiel victories with her ladies team.

Nora was always very social and was quick to throw on a pot of coffee if someone wanted to drop in.  She was the leader of a group of good friends that devised a plan to watch their weight.  They called it the FATS CLUB.  It consisted with weekly gatherings for coffee and a weigh-in.   Once a year, around Christmastime, they would gather for a party with all the food and drink they wanted.  Hey, whatever works!

In 1994, with the kids all independent and Harry retired, Nora and Harry decided to move to the Okanagan Valley.  They had camped in Oliver many times so they felt comfortable relocating there.  They bought a lovely house with a good size yard. Nora loved to keep a vegetable garden and did so right up until the last year of her life.  Nora and Harry continued to camp and fish in their recreational vehicles.  Nora became a member at the Seniors Center and particularly enjoyed Keep Fit.  They did volunteer work in the community which included Meals on Wheels and the Red Cross Cupboard. 

Nora had also become a 5 time grandmother and she loved to watch her grandchildren grow up.  She was also keen to cook their favorite meals when they visited and this invariably included 2 or 3 types of pie.

In 2009, Nora lost her life partner when Harry died of complications of cancer.  They had been together over 53 years.  In typical Nora fashion, despite her own progressive health problems, she carried on without missing a step.  She kept her garden, maintained her home, continued her volunteer activities and socialized with her friends and neighbors.  Saturday night Dominoes became a ritual activity she rarely missed.  During this time her son Doug and daughter Joan, who both live in Oliver, were a great help to her. She was able to live in her own home until the end.

Nora was a wonderful lady with a great sense of humor.  She was a terrific wife and mother and a great friend to all who knew her.  We will miss her

Nora is survived by her children- Joan (Rob)of Oliver; Doug of Oliver, Bryan (Nancy)of Maple Ridge; and her grandchildren- Ryan, Tyler, Adam, Francesca, and Spencer.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Kidney Foundation of Canada (200-4940 Canada Way Burnaby, V5G 4G6) or a charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated.

A celebration of life will be held between 3:00 – 5:00 P.M. Saturday October 26th, 2013 at the Oliver Seniors Centre