Heaven received one beautiful, intelligent, classy lady when Nora Belle (Whitman) Sannes quietly passed on Tuesday, February 18th at age 97.

Nora was born on December 7, 1927, in rural Robinson, ND to Jay P. Whitman and Lena (Russ) Whitman and was raised on a small farm. She spent a happy childhood playing with her three sisters, helping out by fetching cows and hanging laundry, and sometimes hiding away with a book.
Nora’s formal education began in a one-room country school located a half mile from the farm. Nora walked to school along a prairie trail that bordered a fenced pasture. Nora especially enjoyed the walk in spring and fall when she was serenaded by meadowlarks and red winged black birds, inspiring her lifelong infatuation with birds.

High school was in the nearby town of Robinson and Nora graduated as valedictorian in 1943 at age 16. Her salutatorian was a young man who subsequently graduated from Stanford Law School, again as salutatorian but this time to William Rehnquist. Nora left it to her obituary to brag that she and former United States Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist shared the same salutatorian.

After graduation, Nora immediately enrolled at Valley City State Teacher’s College and after 15 months, was close enough to a Standard Degree that the town of Kief, ND offered her a job as an elementary school teacher. Despite being only 17 years old, Nora proudly began her teaching career. After earning her Standard Degree the next summer, she returned to Kief but accepted a better offer from nearby Drake, ND in 1946 and from her hometown of Robinson in 1949.

During her two years at Robinson, the Superintendent was impressed with Nora’s teaching ability, but also her work ethic, personality and beauty. He concluded she would be a perfect wife for his younger brother, Leonard Emil Sannes, a farmer living in Barnes County, ND. Match making ensued and on September 1, 1951, Nora and Leonard were married and her second career as a farm wife began.

Nora quickly expanded her cooking repertoire beyond chocolate chip cookies, becoming proficient at meat and potatoes but excelling at pies, caramel rolls and holiday goodies. Nora’s farm worker resume expanded to include running the combine during harvest. Nora and Leonard raised 3 children, Gerry, Colleen, and Corinne.

Nora’s years as a farm wife were filled with tending bountiful gardens and beautiful flower beds, leading the Grand Prairie Township Livewires 4-H Club, getting involved in the township’s Homemaker’s Club, and touring the state as a speaker for the Christian Women’s Club.

Nora was passionate about her Christian faith and found a spiritual home in the United Methodist Church. She lived its core belief that being a Christian obligated her to love all others because God loved her. While a farm wife, Nora was active in Salem United Methodist Church in rural Valley City.

After a successful farming career, Nora and Leonard retired to Fargo in 1984. Not understanding how a city housewife could stay busy, Nora gladly accepted an offer to become a secretary in their realtor’s office, thus continuing her track record of never actually applying for a job. At the age of 57, she brushed up on her typing, took computer courses and began her third career as a real estate professional, starting as secretary but ending up as Office Manager. She enjoyed the challenge, but truth be told, she relished having a career that allowed her to dress up for work.

The 24 years that Nora and Leonard shared in Fargo went by too quickly. They joined First United Methodist Church and Nora sang in the choir, joined a Circle and served on several committees. Her favorite activity, however, was playing an integral role in raising her first granddaughter, Chrissy. Chrissy was key to Nora staying forever young.

In 2007, at age 80, Nora retired from Advantage Realty with a closet full of suits and high heels. One year later, Nora was widowed and that’s when she began her fourth career as “Super Nana”, great grandmother extraordinaire to the four children of her granddaughter, Chrissy Koland. William Leonard Finn, Emilia Belle Finn, James Patrick Koland, and Adelaide Nora Koland, all from Fargo-Moorhead; each benefited from her time, wisdom and love.

Nora was predeceased by her parents, her beloved husband, and her three sisters, Una Kolberg, Faye DeKrey and Alpha DeKrey. She is survived and sorely missed by her three children, Gerry Sannes, Fargo; Colleen (TJ) Rice, Las Vegas, NV; Corinne Durensky, Barnesville, MN; granddaughter Chrissy (Jeremy) Koland, Fargo; grandson Ian (Jacklyn) Anderson, Fargo; step-grandson Darrin Anderson, West Fargo; eight great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Nora’s life will be celebrated with a service at the First United Methodist Church in Fargo this spring. Updated service information and an online guestbook can be found at www.olivernathanchapel.com. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel of Valley City, ND. The family suggests that memorials be given to First United Methodist Church in Fargo.