Eleanor (“Nora“) Marian McIsaac died peacefully Jan.6, 2015 in the home she shared in North Richland with her daughter, Kay Kaffer. She was 98 years old.

Born March 2, 1916 in a high desert homestead in Anza, CA, she surprised her parents,  who were not expecting twins.  Some of her happiest memories were of the summers the family spent in Anza -- riding the hills and sleeping under the stars.

She married soon after WW II ended, on Dec 1, 1945 in Astoria, OR. She and husband, Johnny, lived at the Navy Base there in quarters commonly known as “Dog-patch“.  Each day, after work, he would check the garbage pail to see what she had been attempting to cook on their wood-burning stove. She loved Navy life and moved many times, always enjoying the road trips and adventures of a new place. After 20 years of service, they retired from Navy life and settled in Sierra Madre, CA. and 15 years later moved to Fountain Valley, CA 

Nora moved to the Tri-Cities area ten years ago from her longtime home in Fountain Valley, Ca. She enjoyed her years here in Richland, secure in her daughter’s care and surrounded by beautiful views of the Columbia River. She loved to sit and watch people playing in the nearby park, seeing walkers, runners and bikers on the river trail, and observing the changing seasons and the many forms of wildlife that visited their yard.

The driving force of her life was her great love of God and her strong Catholic faith, which she shared with the many visiting family members and friends. With one eye constantly on heaven, she prayed, laughed, reprimanded and stressed over all those she loved, wanting none to be left behind.

Nora is preceded in death by her husband, John Robert McIsaac, and three infant sons, Roderick, Francis and Xavier, her sister. Florence, and her twin brother, William. She is survived by her brother, Louis, her daughter, Katherine Mary (“Kay“)Kaffer, her three sons, John Angus, Roderick Joseph, and Michael John McIsaac, 18 grandchildren, and 24 great grandchildren. 

There will be a funeral Mass in Richland on Friday, Jan 16, 2015 at 11 am at Christ the King Church (1111 Stevens Drive). She will take one last road trip to be buried with her husband at Good Shepherd Cemetery in Huntington Beach, CA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Aid to the Church in Need, PO Box 220384, Brooklyn NY 11222

Her strong presence, immense heart, and loving nature will be missed by all who knew her.