Nora Ann Michael

It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our beloved mother, Nora Michael, 84, of Catonsville, MD. Nora passed away peacefully on December 12, 2020. Family will receive friends on Sunday, December 20th. See below for details.

Nora was born on January 16, 1936 to Catherine and Leonard Potts in Baltimore County, Maryland. She was the eldest of three, her siblings were her brother Allen Potts and sister Mary Jo Nugent.

After graduating from Seton High School, Nora attended the Saint Agnes School of Nursing and went on to be a nurse at Saint Agnes Hospital where she worked for more than 30 years, notably as Nurse Manager in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).

Nora is survived by her husband, William of nearly 65 years and her daughters, Deborah Grossman, Cynthia Therres and Susan Blakely; their husbands, Joel, Glenn and Jay; nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

They married in 1956 after he returned from Korea and Nora finished nursing school. She was a prized beauty with many suitors, but he got the girl.

Nora gave birth to their first daughter, Debbie the next year and later to two more daughters, Cindy & Susie. Later in her life, the role of nursing care reversed and Bill devotedly took care of her for the better part of 10 years.

Nora was also called ‘Toots’ by Bill, her family and childhood friends. Toots was a nickname given to her, she said by “my Daddy” as a baby and it stuck. Her girls were also known to lovingly call her Toots at times too. I cannot talk about the early years without remembering her brother and best friend, Allen Potts. She adored our Uncle Al, as did we and she loved to tell stories of the mischief they got up to as kids like being chased by the bull and nearly passing out from smoking cigars in a locked car at Aunt Mabel’s farm.

At Saint Agnes Hospital she served as Nurse Manager where she was instrumental in the creation of the innovative Saint Agnes NICU. She was much loved and respected across the board by the staff from the nurses’ aids to the doctors and administrators as well. A colleague and friend, Joe Meyers wrote, “Nora was a compassionate, loving, and caring person and tremendous leader. The Saint Agnes Neonatal program strength is in large measure due to her guidance.”

For her girls, Nora‘s dedication to her job and the loving relationships she had with her co-workers at Saint Agnes set an example and inspiration for them.

(We would sometimes spend what seemed like ‘hours’ sitting in the car on the Saint Agnes parking lot after walking over from Archbishop Keough High School waiting for her to get off from work to give us a ride home. When we would wince, Mom would unapologetically say, “I don’t have the kind of job where I can just put on my coat at 4o’clock and walk out the door” and it was understood that we were not invited to complain. Work was important and you stayed until the job was done.)

Nora was particularly caring of the young staff who became part of her team and took many under her wing, offering them kindness and insight, encouragement and opportunity. (We remember many times when she would invite young people to the house because they had no where to go on Thanksgiving or to cry on her shoulder over a love lost or were a foreign intern who she wanted to experience a bit of American culture and family life.) We are comforted by the many members on her team over the years who have shared their experiences with us. Laurie Canning says it well, “Nora put together an incredible team who did amazing work. I am honored to have been part of that team who loved each other like family. Nora‘s leadership, compassion, and caring enriched my life and I am thankful to have known her”.

Nora loved her job at St Agnes and the men and women she worked beside.

Nora was not only an important member of the Saint Agnes family but pivotal in the lives of her extended family as well. She provided motherly guidance and support to many. Her sister, Mary Jo’s children, Cheryl Kierce and Patrick Nugent looked to her as a second mom. As did her much younger brother-in-law, Buzzy Cornwell who did in fact call her Mom.

From Cheryl, “I credit my Aunt Toots with getting me through my difficult adolescent and teenage years. She agreed to take me on when I needed her most. I did not make it easy for her, but she stuck with it. I am eternally grateful, and consider myself to be her fourth daughter.”

Nora used to say, “It’s the little things in life that make you happy”. And she did many ‘little things’ that left a big impression on all of us.

A story related to us by her cousin’s son, Greg, a soldier is so telling of a ‘little thing' she would do that mattered so much. “She and Uncle Billy came to visit me at BWI on my layover to deployments”. They sat with him at the airport and kept him company. This is typical of the small acts of kindness she would do. Little things mean a lot.

Nora was an amazing mother. Loving, pragmatic, indulgent, accepting, and wise.

Mom was a shoulder to cry on, a font of information, a source of inspiration and a safe place to land. She was ‘present’ always in our lives without dictating what we should do. She was the first person we ran to share exciting news or to ask for help and advice.

We will forever remember Saturday car riders, trips to Rehoboth, summers at the shore.

She was indulgent yet practical. When we were little and would go shopping for the day, she’d take us to lunch. “You can have a grilled cheese, french fries and a coke. Jello for dessert.” We couldn’t make much mess with that order but still it was a favorite meal.

When we needed a new dress for a date or money for a special event, she found it and would drive us there.

She was there when we needed her. When Debbie gave birth literally on the other side of the world in Malaysia, she made the 30 hour journey through 5 airports to be there. Twice.

Because as she taught us, showing up is important. “She knew I’d need her and because she wouldn’t want to miss such an important moment in my life."

Nora loved red cardinals, Rheb’s candy, pies from the farmer’s market and her little dog, Tootsie.

And she loved us. (Many of ‘us’.)

Mom always said that being with us was “more fun than going to the movies”.

Who would we have become without her love?

We miss her dearly.

Family will receive friends on Sunday, December 20th from 4-7PM at the Sterling-Ashton-Schwab-Witzke Funeral Home of Catonsville, Inc., 1630 Edmondson Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228; where a funeral service will be celebrated 11AM, Monday, December 21st. The service will be Live Streamed through the funeral home's Facebook page. Interment in Mt. View Cemetery. For those desiring, donations may be made in her memory to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home,1222 Tugwell Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228.