Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Nora Graham

Mrs. Nora Edna Arnett Graham, born March 18, 1914, in Emmet, died peacefully on March 24, 2007, in Medical Park Hospital in Hope, with her family at her side.

Her parents were Albert Walter Arnett and Mary Esther Brooks Arnett. Nora graduated from Emmet High School and began her nursing training shortly afterwards at the Cora Donnell Hospital in 1935. She also attended Henderson State College and completed a degree as a licensed practical nurse. Nora was a skilled scrub nurse and assisted with almost every surgery. During her career, she was on call most days and went back in at night for every surgery and emergency. Nora transferred to the Nevada County Hospital when it opened in 1967 and served in the same capacity as head surgical nurse. After 42 years of nursing, she retired in 1974. She continued to teach all nurses valuable lessons even in her last years when she was the patient. She entertained them with her colorful stories about her early years in nursing. She was a life long member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Rainbow Garden Club, and First Baptist Church of Prescott, where she worked in the nursery and served in the training union for several years. After her retirement, she enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren and continuing her hobbies which included gardening, oil painting, crocheting, and writing daily in her journal.

Nora was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Howard Red Graham on December 26, 2006; her parents; brother, Jack Arnett; sister, Mary Arnett Fincher, and nephew, Scott Graham.

She is survived by her only son, Richard Graham and wife Linda of Prescott; two grandchildren, Dr. Missy Graham and husband Bobby of Little Rock and Ricky Graham and wife Sarah of Sheridan; their mother, Donna Graham of Little Rock; two stepgrandchildren, Robin Johnmann and husband Andy of Texarkana, Texas and Lori Murray and husband Roger of Texarkana;; four great-grandchildren, Abby and Kate Graham of Little Rock, Grace Graham of Hope and Claire Graham of Sheridan; four stepgreat-grandchildren, Josh Edwards and Madison Murray of Texarkana, Justin Stovall and Megan Johnmann of Texarkana, Texas; one brother-in-law, Jimmy Graham and wife Linda of Prescott; two sisters-in-law, Gail Reddin and husband Ricky of Prescott and Edith Arnett of Hope; three nephews, Graham Hardin and wife Rachel of Corpus Christi, Jimmy Fincher and wife Wanda of Prescott and Larry Arnett and wife Terri of Hope; three nieces, Traci Graham of Fayetteville, Mary Jo Curtis of Little Rock, and Jacqueline Hatfield and husband Delton of Hope, along with a host of friends and other relatives.

The family would like to thank her dedicated care givers, Bobbie Blevins, Dee Young, Violet Welsh, Celestine Phillips, Shirley Lewis, and Polly Pennington and the staff of Prescott Family Clinic, Medical Park Hospital, and Nevada County Home Health, Dr. Michael Young and Dr. Richard Portis for their kindness.

A memorial grave side service was held at 10 a.m., Monday, March 26, at DeAnn Cemetery in Prescott, under the direction of Brazzel/Cornish Funeral Home in Prescott. The family received visitors at the Graham home following the service. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimers Association, PO Box 7812, Texarkana, Texas 75505.