Nora Leon-Flores

Nora Leon-Flores, a loving mother, stepmother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, God-mother, aunt and friend. Passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on March 21, 2025, in her favorite city, San Francisco CA at the age of 62.

Nora was born in Mexico City, Mx. On April 12,1962 to Jose and Bertha Leon. In the early 1970’s Nora and her family moved to Sanger CA. While in High School, Nora was involved with Future Farmers of America, worked in the fields, watched over her siblings and competed in Sanger’s Miss Fiestas Patrias, where she was crowned as runner up. Nora was determined to finish high school early by taking extra classes and completing high school her junior year. By her senior year of high school, she was attending Fresno City College. Nora came back her Senior year of high school to graduate with her friends and classmates. She was proud to be apart of the graduating class of 1981 for Sanger High.

While being a full-time student at Fresno City College, Nora found a job working as a receptionist for a Union known as Local 62 that represented the culinary cooks, bartenders, and hotel service employees. During this time, she met her future husband, Ralph Flores and gained three amazing bonus children: Gabriela, Carmen and Ralph Jr. Soon after they married, they welcomed their only child together, their daughter HannaLiza.

Nora was also a prominent and influential member of El Comite Civico Mexicano that brought events such as, Cinco De Mayo and Fiestas Patrias to the downtown Fresno area for many years. Nora’s time and dedication and her experience in pageantry brought elegance and grace to El Comite Civico Mexicano’s annual Miss Fiestas Patrias. She worked endless hours as a pageant coordinator, and because of Nora and the help of her dear friend Rosalinda Hernandez these events were highly anticipated every year because they were done with so much beauty and grace, just like Nora herself.

After leaving the Union, Nora and her then husband Ralph were successful business owners of Villareal Furniture for over ten years. Soon after leaving the furniture business, Nora went to work for her older brother David and worked as an immigration consultant and tax preparer for many years. However she wanted to do something more, something she had always thought of doing but was not quite sure if she would be able to obtain such a position and that was working for the IRS. With her motivation and hard work, Nora was hired as a Bilingual Contact Representative in October of 2019 for the IRS. Nora loved working for the IRS and that was solely because of the amazing team of people she worked with, known as C2002 Familia. She loved her work family and their weekly potlucks.

Nora was an amazing single mother who raised her daughter all on her own. She sacrificed her own happiness to make sure that her daughter Hanna, didn’t go without. She taught her daughter to find joy in the little things that life had to offer, to always be kind and gracious and most of all she showed her how to love unconditionally. Nora loved the time she spent with her daughter, weather if it was going out of town, staying home, or shopping. Their time together was precious. They had a bond like no other.

Nora’s biggest joy in life was being a grandmother to 3 handsome grandsons, Tito, Niko and Ralphie. She enjoyed spending time with them and making memories. She would say “I need my energy where are my babies!”

Nora enjoyed social gatherings with family and friends. She enjoyed traveling and experiencing the beauty that life had to offer. She enjoyed her outings with her sister Angie and her brother Joe and his family.

For those of you who knew Nora, they would tell you she loved her pastries with coffee, watching lifetime movies, loved being there for others and showing her love and support to anyone in need. Nora will always be remembered as a hardworking single mother, compassionate, thoughtful, caring, loving, gracious, elegant, a survivor, fabulous, strong, loyal, faithful, a Women of God. Furthermore Nora, was also the greatest Hero we knew, she was an organ donor who helped save the lives of many.

She is proceeded in death by her parents, Jose and Bertha Leon, and her brothers David Leon and Tony Leon.

She is survived by her daughter HannaLiza Calles and her husband Humberto Calles and their three sons: Humberto II (Tito), Nickolas (Niko), and Rafael (Ralphie). Her bonus children, Gaby, Carmen and Ralph Jr. Her sister Angelica and her husband Joel Ramos. Her brother Joe Leon and his wife Nallely. Her sister-in-law(s) Rafaela Leon and Connie Velasco. Nora is also survived by many nieces and nephews, God Children, family and friends.

Her daughter and family humbly thank Dr. Sachdeva and Nurse Nora from the Kaiser ICU Team. Fresno Community ICU Team, UCSF Medical San Francisco ICU and Transplant Team and Dr. Alfonso Velasco for the constant Care, Love and Respect they gave to Nora.

Mama, you were one of a kind. Your love, your laughter, your smile, comfort and warmth and your spirit will live in us, it will always be an honor to call you, my mama.

A visitation for Nora will be held Tues, April 8, 2025 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home, 836 E. Nees Ave., Fresno, CA 93720 followed by a recitation of the holy rosary at 6:00 PM.

A funeral mass will will be held Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 5770 N Maroa Ave, Fresno, CA 93704.