Nora M. Yanas
Born on July 19, 1935 in Cienfuegos, CubaDeparted December 1, 2022 in Viera, Florida
Nora was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba and came to the United States with her family when she was 5 years old. She lived in New York City. There she met and married her husband Nick in 1954.
They started their family there and in 1963 moved out to Denville, New Jersey – ‘to get away from the city’. Tired of the winters in general, they moved to Melbourne in 1967 where Nick started working for Radiation. They built a home in Melbourne Beach in 1968 and lived there until earlier this year.
Nora volunteered at the schools her children attended, went to all the sporting events- she had to make sure the umpires and refs were doing their jobs properly! And would let them know if they made a mistake.
She volunteered at Brevard Hospital/Holmes Regional as a Pink Lady for over 40 years.
She was a member of St. Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church, always helping with the Philoptochos and working at every festival event.
She loved to dance and was usually one of the first up on the floor, especially if it was a good cha-cha or mambo.
She and Nick traveled extensively, visiting Greece, Italy, France, Austria, Great Britain, Israel, Australia as well as many sites across the U.S. She loved this country and was so very proud of being an American citizen. She wore her ‘red, white and blue’ proudly.
Nora enjoyed painting and her art is something her family and friends will always treasure.
She was a daughter, sister, wife, mother but her most cherished role was that of grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved being Yia-Yia. She enjoyed attending their school and sporting events, carrying on the tradition.
Her smile was as big as her heart and her presence will be truly missed.
Nora is survived by her husband of 68 years Nick Yanas; her daughter Diana Dudley; her sons John (Stephanie) Yanas, Nick (Kelly) Yanas; her grandchildren Kelley (Justin) Morris, Brandon (Amanda) Dudley, Nicholas (Jessica) Yanas, Heather Yanas, Stephen Yanas; her great-grandchildren Brianna and Jade Morris, Charlotte Dudley, Nora and Elijah Yanas and Liam Ward.
Calling hours are Friday, December 9, from 5 until 7pm at Brownlie Maxwell Funeral Home in Melbourne. Her funeral service will be held on Thursday, December 15 at 11am at St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church with burial to follow at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, Florida.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in her memory made to Ascension Social Concerns, 1238 Aurora Road, Melbourne, Florida 32935 or to St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, 5965 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne, Florida 32940:
St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church
