Nora F. (Hanlon) Horan

Waltham – Mrs. Nora F. (Hanlon) Horan, of Waltham, died Sunday, July 19, 2015 at Maristhill Nursing Home in Waltham. She was 92.

Nora was born on September 15, 1922 in Crushoa, Kinvara, Co. Galway, Ireland, a daughter of the late Patrick and Mary (Glynn) Hanlon. She was raised in Lawrencetown, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway and during the war years worked as a conductress as they were called in those days aboard a double decker bus for the Birmingham City Transport Company in Birmingham, England. Shortly after the end of World War II she immigrated to the United States, first to Cambridge, and then to Watertown where she lived for a number of years. In 1978 Nora moved with her family to Waltham.

Until her retirement she worked as a classroom aide at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown. Nora was a longtime member of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians in Watertown. She was an active member of the Waltham Senior Citizens and the Waltham YMCA.

She kept an immaculate home where she was proud of her gardening skills and baking talents and where every Saturday Irish tunes could be heard throughout the house. It was to her family and to her faith however that Nora reserved her most deliberate talents and devotion. To have lived to have seen her children's children was a great gift that she never took for granted and she cherished time spent with her family above all else. Nora and her family were longtime and active members of Saint Jude Parish.

The wife of the late Michael F. Horan, she leaves her children, Michael F. Horan, Jr. and his wife, Kathleen, of Acton, Kathy McCool and her husband, Michael, Marie N. Vollemans and her husband, Richard, all of Waltham, James J. Dorr of Salem, New Hampshire and Claire A. Segien and her husband, George, of Waltham; her grandchildren, Meghan Horan Bowsher, Michael Sean Horan, Dierdre Horan, Lee Vollemans, Rachel Vollemans, Michele Vollemans, Rebecca Segien Tweedy and Jon Segien; her step-granddaughter, Jessica McCool; her siblings, Sean Hanlon of London, Patrick Hanlon, Bartholemew 'Bertie' Hanlon, both of Ireland and Mary O'Toole of West Roxbury and many nieces and nephews.

Nora was also a sister of the late Michael Hanlon, Thomas Hanlon, David Hanlon, Richard Hanlon, Eileen Lahiff and Theresa Hanlon.

Family and friends will honor and remember Nora's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Tuesday, July 21st from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Ridgelawn Cemetery, Watertown.

Memorial donations may be made to New Hampshire Special Olympics, 650 Elm Street, #200, Manchester, NH 03101.