Norma Nisly

A funeral service for Norma E. Nisly, 79, of Kalona, will be held Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 2:00 PM at the Sunnyside Conservative Mennonite Church in Kalona, with Pastors Floyd Helmuth and John King officiating. Burial will follow at the Fairview Mennonite Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday, February 2, 2018 from 2 – 4 and 5 – 8PM at the Sunnyside Mennonite Church. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established for Teresa Nisly's work with refugees. Norma Nisly died Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City following her battle with cancer.

Norma Elaine (Ropp) Nisly was born February 20, 1938 in Kalona, Iowa, the daughter of Solomon and Vesta (Yoder) Ropp. She graduated from Iowa Mennonite School and attended Eastern Mennonite College and the University of Iowa. Norma was united in marriage to Harley Nisly on July 27, 1962 at the Sunnyside Mennonite Church in Kalona. Norma taught at Sarasota Christian School for two years and was a substitute teacher in Hartville, Ohio. In 1983 Norma and Harley started Nisly's Painting and she worked with Harley until her health prevented it in 2015. She was a charter member of Sunnyside Mennonite Church where she was active in the sewing group and as a teacher of Sunday school and vacation Bible school. She and Harley were camp directors at the church camp as well as youth sponsors. Norma enjoyed traveling, quilting, camping, horseback riding, birds, and flower gardening. She was a gracious hostess that loved to have people in her home for social gatherings.

Survivors include her husband Harley of Kalona, four children: Michael (Connie) Nisly of MN., Jenell (Weldon) Shrock of OH., Julie (Brian) Mast of IL., Randy Nisly of OH., 19 grandchildren: Nathan (Rosetta) Nisly, Teresa Nisly, Anita (Darrel) Plank, Katrina (Chadwick) Beiler, Crystal (Dale) Thomas, Kendra Nisly, Caitlyn Nisly, Brooke (Scott) Swartzentruber, Brittany Shrock, Krista Shrock, Greg Shrock, Seth Mast, Abigail Mast, Sean Mast, Chloe Mast, Trig Mast, Alyssa Nisly, Cameron Nisly, Bryce Nisly; four great grandchildren: Latasha Nisly, Ethan Nisly, Alex Nisly, Jennica Nisly; three brothers: Emil (Erma) Ropp of IA., Morris (Norma) Ropp of AL., Paul (Marlene) Ropp of FL., and one sister Cora (Levi) Miller of OH.

Preceding Norma in death were her parents, four brothers: Herman, John, Leroy and Wesley Ropp and two sisters: Cleora Yoder and Anna Mae Miller.