Nora Christensen Obituary (2022) – Fresno, CA

Nora Lee Christensen
July 3, 2022
Fresno, California – Surrounded by family, Nora Christensen peacefully passed to her heavenly home on July 3, 2022. She was born in Jones, OK on June 21, 1936. Her parents, Lee and Martha Brennan, surely could not have known then what a remarkable impact their infant daughter would have on the world. The family moved to Olympia, WA where Nora would grow up with her older brother and three younger sisters. When she was 12 years old, she became mother to those siblings after the passing of her mother.
In 1955, Nora journeyed south with the intent of visiting her brother at his naval post in San Diego. Along the way, she stopped in Fresno, decided it might be a nice place to live, and got a job waiting windows at Norm’s Drive-In. There she met Norm Christensen, owner of the drive-in. On June 29, 1956 they were married, and Nora immediately became mother to two rascals, 7 and 9 years old. A third son was born in 1959. Over 54 years, Nora and Norm were true partners in endeavors that included ownership and management of restaurants, a boat shop, a motorcycle dealership, a flying service, two marinas and cattle ranches in Oregon and California. She continued to manage several of these businesses after Norm’s death in 2010.
If you asked her for her primary occupation, Nora would reply mother and wife. That she was, but her resume was much more expansive. She was at various times a telephone operator, cowpoke, large animal veterinarian, entrepreneur, business woman. As easily as she hugged a child or kissed an owie, she could field dress an elk, wrangle a large calf, leap tall buildings and speak truth to power. Nora was the glue that bound both the Christensen and Brennan families.
Nora wanted most to be remembered for her love of Jesus Christ and how that love brought her joy and shaped her life. She truly lived that commitment. She shared that love and joy and her Christian witness with her family and everyone she met. It was evident in her engagement and leadership with Peoples Church, with local organizations such as ESA Love INC and the Fresno Rescue Mission and with global organizations such as Medical Missions International and World Vision. She cared deeply about the welfare of people everywhere, and was especially committed to missions in Ethiopia which she visited in 2011.
To Nora’s children, grandchildren and great grandchildren it was “follow me” rather than “do as I say”. She was soft and gracious but also brave. She was fiercely devoted to family and friends. She prayed without ceasing and rejoiced in all things.
Nora was predeceased by her husband Norman, brother Micky and sister Pat Farmen. She is survived by three sisters Terry Trinclisti, Kathy Thompson and Cindy Gibbon, three sons and daughters in law, Norm Jr. and Portia, Ken and Peg, and Tom and Sandy, her grandchildren and spouses, Jamie and Jenny Christensen, Tami and Tagg Neal, Mary and Lawrence Perkins, Julie and Mark Shanrock, Cameron Christensen, and Sonnie Lapomardo, and 11 great grandchildren, Nicholas, Natalie, Noelle and Nicole Christensen, Taggart, Alexandra, and Landon Neal, Trevor and Kailey Dosh, Riley Perkins and Daisy Lapomardo.
A visitation for family and friends will be held on Thursday, July 14 from 4-7 PM in the Peoples Church GL Johnson Chapel. A private graveside service will be held at the Clovis Cemetery at 9 AM on Friday July 15. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to People’s Church, Medical Missions International, or the Fresno Rescue Mission.

Published by Fresno Bee on Jul. 10, 2022.

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