by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
Nora Norman loved her job.
So much, in fact, that even as she fought a 13-month battle with lung cancer, she never stopped working, until she just couldn’t anymore.
Norman, who succumbed to cancer last September, won the REALTOR® of the Year Award at the Amelia Island/Nassau County Board of REALTORS® Awards and Installation Banquet last month.
“It was very unexpected,” said her husband Paul, who attended the event and accepted the award along with her mother, Helen Getz. “I was overwhelmed and appreciative of it. If she were here she would still be doing her thing. She has been voted ‘Best of the Best’ Real Estate Agent in the Fernandina News-Leader for the past three years. To me, she was just an all-around babe.”
When she discovered her illness in August of 2001, she didn’t give up — she continued working and fought the disease.
“She never quit working,” said Janie Westmoreland, owner/broker of Re/Max Professional Group where Norman worked. “Through all of that, she was here. We were all just absolutely amazed that she would even bother to come in to do anything, but it was what she wanted. She loved what she did so much that that is what helped keep her mind off of things. She really wanted to be here, not that she felt pressured by the work, but it made her feel better because she enjoyed it so much.”
She was chosen as REALTOR® of the year by an overwhelming vote from the association.
“We are really proud of her and she really deserved the recognition,” said Westmoreland. “It was mainly because of her service over the years. Nora was always consistent in her service to the board over the years as well as to the community and she was a very successful REALTOR®. She really had all of the qualities. I think it was her struggle and her continued involvement through the year with the cancer made her stand out.”
Clyde Goodbread, executive director of the Amelia Island/Nassau County Board of REALTORS® said her concern for her clients and customers was always on the highest level.
“The selection of Nora for this high honor was not due to one particular thing. It was more a recognition of what she had been for the association over her 10-plus years of membership,” said Goodbread. “During this time she demonstrated by her actions what it means to be a leader. During the past year, she fought a gallant battle with cancer, continued to serve her clients and customers and stayed involved in the association as well as the community.”
In addition to her dedication to real estate, she also had a personal cause she continued during her illness.
Norman joined the Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch 14 years ago and her love of turtles and involvement as vice president of the Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch deemed her the “Turtle Lady”. She was often found at 6 a.m. strolling the beaches of Fernandina searching for turtle tracks or nests. Even during her bout with cancer, she still took time out to help out the sea turtles.
The current president, Jon Lasserre of Curtis Lasserre Realty, respected Norman immensely and was happy she was chosen to win the award.
“Her winning the award was a statement that we all respected her and all of her interests, and that we appreciated her being a part of our family, and allowing us to be a part of hers,” said Lasserre. “She exemplified the best of the good spirit of REALTORS® and followed it up with extra effort when needed. It makes me very proud of the committee who chose her and I couldn’t think of anyone more worthy.”
During that year, she kept looking for new ways to beat her cancer. Co-workers said she went through chemotherapy and radiation like a trouper.
“She did really well,” said Val Moeller, office manager at Re/Max Professional Group. “She did lose her hair, but she would just wear a baseball hat.”
When she found out about an experimental treatment offered in Germany that was not covered by insurance, she wanted to try that, too.
The real estate and local community rallied together to raise money for her treatment. Steve Kelly of Kelly Pest Control and Goodbread donated the food for the event.
A shrimp boil raised $6,500 and donations brought the total to over $19,000.
She traveled to Germany but it was too late — her heart was too weak to allow the treatment.
She then traveled to Maryland to participate in a trial study at a cancer institute, but testing led to the discovery of three brain tumors. She underwent surgery to remove two of the tumors and was scheduled for treatment on the third one.
Soon after, she lost her struggle. She was 57 years old.
“Nora didn’t want a funeral. She wanted a party,” said Moeller. “So, we didn’t have anything when she passed away. We waited until the next month on her birthday and held a party/memorial at the Elizabeth Point Lodge.”
That evening, her husband put her ashes out to sea so she could always be with her beloved sea turtles.
Norman was a REALTOR in Fernandina Beach for a little over 10 years, working first with Coldwell Banker Jasinsky & Associates. She joined Re/Max Professional Group in 1986.
“She was one of the first agents to come on board when I bought the franchise,” said Westmoreland. “She and Paul are family. Nora was always special because she was like the core of our company.”
Norman was also very involved in the association.
“She was very involved in the overall activities of the association and its Multiple Listing Service,” said Goodbread. “She was on the Activities Committee, spend three years as the chair of the MLS Caravan Committee and was a member of the board of directors from 1998 to 2002.”
Due to her involvement, everyone knew her. When she was diagnosed with cancer, the real estate community as well as the local community pulled together to support her.
“I think everybody really liked Nora,” said Westmoreland. “She had a great personality. She was always involved with the board in various committees. She was always there to help new agents and encourage involvement from other members. I think everyone knew her.”
Lasserre agreed.
“Nora was a leader, and she was never shy about showing that,” said Lasserre. “Her point of view was often offered, always valued and usually adopted. As an example, she would take a ‘newcomer’ under her wing, and willingly share her knowledge.
“That knowledge helped that newcomer, even if they ended up competing. That takes a lot of confidence and a sharing heart. In addition she was able to get members up and going at whatever task was a hand and always with wit and laughter.”