Nora May O’Donnell-Derhammer

Nora May O’Donnell-Derhammer, age 104, was taken home to be with the Lord on December 16, 2022.
She was born May 21,1918 in Tipperary Co. Limerick, Ireland, a daughter of the late Peter and Alice O’Donnell. She was baptized on that day and given the name Hanoria Maria O’Donnell but was always known as Nora May.
Nora was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Alice O’Donnell; husband, Charles Derhammer; a son, Walter Derhammer; grandson, Terri Moyer; granddaughter, Phaedra Santillo; three brothers, Michael, Patrick and James O’Donnell; three sisters, Mary, Elizabeth and Alice O’Donnell.
She lived a long, full life. She was always so thankful for everything she had and considered it all a blessing. She made the best out of any situation that she faced. She had so many great stories to tell about growing up in Ireland. She loved her homeland and was proud to be a strong Irish woman. From a young age she sang in her church choir, singing songs in Latin. She loved living a simple life in a small community where she helped her family with chores, cooking and gardening. She walked miles to and from school every day and was grateful to have shoes to wear on her feet for those long walks. She met Queen Elizabeth while Elizabeth was still a princess. She lived through two global pandemics. She always said, “I’ve never been sick a day in my life”. Her desire was to be a nurse, but a childhood injury prevented her from chasing that dream. Instead, she and a few friends decided to join the British Army. After enlisting she was sent to Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was there that she met the man who would become her husband, Charles Derhammer, an American Soldier in the US Army. They were married in Northern Ireland and later had their marriage blessed in the Roman Catholic church in Annacarty, Co. Tipperary. They had their first child while in Ireland and in 1946 Nora and her son immigrated to the United States. They sailed from Queensland on the U.S.S. President
Tyler arriving in New York, NY on October 18, 1946. From there she, her husband and son settled in Noxen, Pennsylvania where they raised their family.
Nora was humble and a hard worker. At times she worked multiple jobs to provide for her family all while raising her five children. She was a blessing to so many people. She never met a stranger and would strike up a conversation with anyone who was willing to listen. She loved to sing. A few of her favorites were “Danny Boy”, “It’s a long way to Tipperary” and “When Irish eyes are smiling”. She loved everything Irish! If it was green or had a shamrock on it shew as reminded of home and it put a smile on her face. She loved her family immensely and would sacrifice anything for any one of them.
She lived independently until the age of 98. At that time she became a resident of the Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Dallas, Pennsylvania where she touched so many lives with her quick wit, singing, her sometimes feisty attitude and most of all her smile. They became family her second family and she loved them.
We will all miss her tremendously until we see her again in heaven but will remember what a
blessing she was to us for so long.
She is survived by her son, Charles Derhammer (Deidre) of Miami, AZ; daughters Nora William of
Tunkhannock, PA; Mary Woodward (Tom) of Ralston, PA; Edna Manning (Roger) of Suffolk, VA; Patricia
Doble (George) of Harding, PA; son-in-law Seldon Williams of Tunkhannock, PA; eleven grandchildren;
twenty nine great grandchildren; ten great-great grandchildren and man nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family would like to wholeheartedly thank the staff at the Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation
Center in Dallas, PA for the love and exceptional care that they continually showed Nora while she
reside with them. We are grateful for every single one who had a hand in keeping her healthy and
happy for the last six and a half years. Also, thank you to Hospice of the Sacred Heart for helping
us do all we could to make her comfortable in her last days.

Blessing service will be held on Thursday, December 22, 12:00PM, at Nulton Funeral Home, 5749 SR 309, Beaumont, Monroe Township.
Friends may call on Thursday, December 22 from 10:00AM-12:00 at the funeral home.

Interment following at Orcutt Cemetery, Noxen, Wyoming County.

For more information or to send condolences please visit us at www.NultonKopcza.com.