Nora Margaret Lusk

Nora Margaret Lusk passed quickly and quietly on July 14 at the home of her daughter in San Diego, California. Family members were present, and she is said to have been laughing and joking earlier in the day. She was 96.

Nora was preceded in death by her husband, Bill (2005), her eldest son, Glenn (2020), and her grandson, Scott (2012). She is the longest-lived sibling, having lost three sisters prior to her passing. Her memory is cherished by the families of four surviving children – Susan, David, Steven, and James -- including her 15 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

Born to James and Nora Russell in Highland Park, Illinois, in 1925, Nora grew up in Deerfield, Illinois and married Bill in 1946. She was a nursing student prior to WWII and studied anatomy at Orange Coast College (Costa Mesa) during the 1960s.

Bill and Nora had lived in Costa Mesa since 1957, where they raised five children, became prominent members of The Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, and established a long history of support for their community and their church. As a couple, Nora and Bill helped to lead the church in their roles as elders and as deacons, and Nora assisted the church for many years as its financial secretary. Before his own passing, Bill was known for his success as a local merchant and self-employed businessman.

Always the athlete, Nora was rarely sidelined. After participating in kickball and other sports at family picnics and community events, she eventually took to golf, becoming an avid player with a respectable handicap. She was frequently seen on the links in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, and her numerous golf trophies and mementos were displayed prominently and proudly about the home.

Aside from golf, Nora had many roles in the family. In addition to child-rearing, homemaking and housekeeping, Nora was the cook, driver, therapist, painter, the nurse-and-chief-medical advisor, and often the alternative to veterinary medicine for injured family pets and neighborhood animals. She managed scraped knees, hurt feelings, fevers, coughs, colds, and a myriad of other childhood ailments with compassion, purpose and professional clarity. Despite all of these duties, Nora read books fervently, referred frequently to scripture, and produced hand-made clothing for her children, including wedding gowns for two of her children’s wedding.

For this and for many other reasons, Nora was and will remain greatly loved.

Nora will be laid to rest July 21 during a private family service at Pacific View Memorial Park in Newport Beach.

The family has planned a memorial service on August 14 at The Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Costa Mesa. The service will be at 2:30. Everyone is invited to attend this celebration of Nora’s life.