Obituary for Anna Noren
Anna Shaw (McCalla) Noren died on September 17, 2022, at the Lenoir REACH center in Columbia, Missouri with her faithful daughter Laura at her side.
She was born on her family farm near Chillicothe, Ohio on November 7, 1921, to Ralph and Anna Ethel (Stratton) McCalla. She joyfully celebrated her 100th birthday in 2021 with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Ann grew up in Ross County Ohio surrounded by her four McCalla siblings. Of these Margaret, George, and David as well as her parents, preceded her in death. She is survived by her youngest brother, Paul McCalla.
She attended a one room schoolhouse and completed her education in 1942 at the Grant School of Nursing in Columbus. Following graduation, she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps and was serving on the island of Tinian when the Enola Gay launched from there to drop the first atomic bomb.
She met her future husband, Carl Raymond Noren, in 1944 at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis. After a lengthy epistolary romance, they were married by proxy in October 1945. Carl had been discharged to the US with the European peace, but Ann’s early return from the Pacific theater was allowed only if she were married. They wed in person on December 11, 1945, in Chillicothe, Ohio. Their remarkable marriage lasted until Carl’s death on March 2, 2002.
Ann and Carl spent most of their marriage in Jefferson City, Missouri where they raised five children. Ann was preceded in death by daughter, Wendy Susan Noren. Her surviving children are Jane Noren Davis (Thomas), Carol Noren Lockman, David Noren (Jean), and Laura Noren (Scott Wilson). She is also survived by nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren as well as seven nieces and nephews.
Once her children were all settled in school, Ann returned to work as a nurse in the Obstetrics Department of St. Mary’s Hospital in Jefferson City, helping countless mothers bring children into the world. She eventually served as supervisor of the department, nurturing a cadre of caretakers.
Ann and Carl retired to Athens, Georgia in 1983. From there they made forays to their “shack” on the Georgia coast and traveled the US and Canada in their RV. They returned to Columbia in 2001 to live in the Lenoir Village community, which became a support to Ann after Carl’s death. She travelled extensively in widowhood, especially enjoying a trip to her ancestral roots in England, Scotland and Ireland, and taking her last long trip to Asia in her 90th year.
A family graveside service will be held at Riverview Cemetery in Jefferson City where Ann will be buried alongside Carl.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the MU Veterinary Health Center or the National Parks Foundation. Please follow the below links to make a donation in Ann's memory:
MU Veterinary Health Center by following this link:
https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1002/20/form.aspx?sid=1002&gid=165&pgid=5006&cid=9137&dids=272
National Parks Foundation by following this link:
https://give.nationalparks.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3144&mfc_pref=T&3144.donation=form1
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Freeman Mortuary.
She was born on her family farm near Chillicothe, Ohio on November 7, 1921, to Ralph and Anna Ethel (Stratton) McCalla. She joyfully celebrated her 100th birthday in 2021 with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Ann grew up in Ross County Ohio surrounded by her four McCalla siblings. Of these Margaret, George, and David as well as her parents, preceded her in death. She is survived by her youngest brother, Paul McCalla.
She attended a one room schoolhouse and completed her education in 1942 at the Grant School of Nursing in Columbus. Following graduation, she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps and was serving on the island of Tinian when the Enola Gay launched from there to drop the first atomic bomb.
She met her future husband, Carl Raymond Noren, in 1944 at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis. After a lengthy epistolary romance, they were married by proxy in October 1945. Carl had been discharged to the US with the European peace, but Ann’s early return from the Pacific theater was allowed only if she were married. They wed in person on December 11, 1945, in Chillicothe, Ohio. Their remarkable marriage lasted until Carl’s death on March 2, 2002.
Ann and Carl spent most of their marriage in Jefferson City, Missouri where they raised five children. Ann was preceded in death by daughter, Wendy Susan Noren. Her surviving children are Jane Noren Davis (Thomas), Carol Noren Lockman, David Noren (Jean), and Laura Noren (Scott Wilson). She is also survived by nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren as well as seven nieces and nephews.
Once her children were all settled in school, Ann returned to work as a nurse in the Obstetrics Department of St. Mary’s Hospital in Jefferson City, helping countless mothers bring children into the world. She eventually served as supervisor of the department, nurturing a cadre of caretakers.
Ann and Carl retired to Athens, Georgia in 1983. From there they made forays to their “shack” on the Georgia coast and traveled the US and Canada in their RV. They returned to Columbia in 2001 to live in the Lenoir Village community, which became a support to Ann after Carl’s death. She travelled extensively in widowhood, especially enjoying a trip to her ancestral roots in England, Scotland and Ireland, and taking her last long trip to Asia in her 90th year.
A family graveside service will be held at Riverview Cemetery in Jefferson City where Ann will be buried alongside Carl.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the MU Veterinary Health Center or the National Parks Foundation. Please follow the below links to make a donation in Ann's memory:
MU Veterinary Health Center by following this link:
https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1002/20/form.aspx?sid=1002&gid=165&pgid=5006&cid=9137&dids=272
National Parks Foundation by following this link:
https://give.nationalparks.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3144&mfc_pref=T&3144.donation=form1
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Freeman Mortuary.