Thora Elvira Speas Nonnan (she was affectionately nick-named “Butch” by her Daddy) was born on November 1, 1940 at home in Woodville, Idaho, near Shelley. She was the youngest of 7 children, born to William Edwin Speas and Violet Elvira Hammer Speas, during her early grade school years, her family lived in several communities (Woodville, Clark, Grant, Pingree, and Ammon). Her sister has fond memories of her and Thora playing marbles and hop scotch on the sidewalk in the front yard and wading in the cow pasture when their Daddy irrigated in Ammon when they were kids.
When Thora was in the sixth grade the family moved to Jameston, Idaho, near Shelley, where she graduated from the eighth grade at the Jameston three-room school house. She went on to Shelley High School and graduated in 1959. She and her sisters frequently sang at family reunions, funerals, and other events.
Thora sang soprano on those occasions. Thora’s first marriage was to Lynn Parkinson. They had three sons, Adrian, Nathan, and Sean.
They lived in several places but they were later divorced. Thora cleaned homes for a living and because of her pleasant nature, many of her customers became good friends. She married Doug “Popeye” Norman July 9, 1979.
They lived on a small acreage in Middleton where they held, and taught, square dances in their barn. Square dancing was a big part of their social life. They moved from Middleton to a Sky Park where Thora again used her talents to beautify her surroundings and Doug pursued his flying hobby.
From the sky park they moved to their present home in Caldwell where Thora again made their home pleasant and Doug used his considerable handy-man skills to fix the home up. Thora loved going to movies. For years she would go to a matinee on Friday afternoon after work, then have an early dinner before going home.
She also loved to read books – lots of books. She had a real talent for decorating the homes they lived in. She loved flowers and gardening, and always had a colorful yard.
She had her mother’s “green thumb”. Thora had frail health all her life, beginning with allergies when she was a baby. She passed peacefully from this life June 28, 2018, at her home.
under the care of hospice, her husband, Doug and their children. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Violet Speas, two brothers, George and Gene, one sister, Lena Clark and her son Adrian. She is survived by her husband, Doug, Doug’s children, her sons Nathan and Sean, her sisters Eunice Barnard, Lenis Kirkbride and Billie Jo Clapp.
Friends and family will meet and share memories at the Nampa Funeral Home Monday, July 2, from 11:00 uptill:00.
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