Nora Pearl Delozier: Love of family and God blessed her to 100 years

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While many of us celebrated the start of a new decade earlier this month, Nora Pearl Delozier will be celebrating the end of a century in this life as she celebrates her 100th birthday on Friday.

Nora was born on Jan. 24, 1920 in Donley County just south of McLean in her grandmother’s home. Before long, her family moved to Magic City, Texas, near Wheeler, which was developed in 1926 after oil was discovered. According to the Texas State Historical Association, the name came from the fact oil derricks multiplied as if by magic. 

Nora graduated as valedictorian from Magic City High School in 1936 during the Great Depression.

“They built a new school building,” Nora said. “We had gone from the two-room school building and decided the school had grown with so many students they built a new high school down in the middle of town. 

“They built it and only had a full high school two years, I graduated the second year. They did away with the high school (after the decline in population) and transferred students to Wheeler and they only had an elementary in Magic City.”

By 1935 the oil derricks had disappeared and the town was eventually abandoned. 

After Nora graduated high school, Nora went to business school in Oklahoma City at Hills Business College and she married her first husband Buddy Bogle in 1940 and the couple had two children: Charles and Donna. 

Growing up in the Great Depression taught Nora to be frugal and said it is the reason she is such a “tight-wad” when it comes to money.

“You didn’t keep up with the Jones’ because the Jones’ didn’t have anything either,” Nora joked. “Nobody had anything except for what they raised in their gardens and canned. 

“I learned how to be conservative and that’s why I’m a tight-wad. When we went to the grocery store the kids couldn’t even afford a five-cent candy bar, you had to put that on the grocery bill.”

Despite the era’s name associated with all of the financial woes of the time, Nora said it was still a “happy time and nobody knew any different.”

“I don’t even remember worrying about it,” Nora said. 

Nora and Buddy were married 13 years before he passed from a heart attack in 1953.

Nora re-married in 1955 to Clark Delozier, a widower with two children: Terry and Toni. The couple were married 56 years until he passed away in 2011.

Nora worked intermittently part-time for the county extension service in Hansford County. Nora was also the bookkeeper for Clark’s welding business in Spearman.

“It (the extension service) was just a part-time job so I could take care of the kids,” Nora said. 

Nora has nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great-grandchildren.

Throughout her life, Nora enjoyed the outdoors with Clark including hunting, fishing, camping and enjoying the cabin her father built in the 1930s in Eagle’s Nest, N.M. She also enjoyed playing cards with her neighbors and being active at the Church of Christ in Perryton.

Nora joked she carried the guns, Clark shot them and it’s just as bad carrying them downhill as it is uphill. 

One of her favorite trips she recalled was from a camping trip in Colorado.

“We stayed in tents, nine tents and a cook shack,” Nora said. “We had powered lights and the ladies would go to the cook-shack, eat breakfast and load out to go hunting. One year I had allergies real bad and they went without me and one lady stayed behind with me. That was the morning they saw and killed a black bear. It was the largest bear that had been killed in that area (Delta, Colo.) in years.”

Nora moved back to Pampa in 2013 to be closer to family and still lives in her Pampa home.

Nora, who was baptized at 12 years old, said her faith has always been the most important thing in her life. 

“God’s grace is why I’m here,” Nora said. “I love my family, every one of them. I guess I’m still here for some reason.”

Nora was active in her Pampa church home, Somerville Church of Christ, until the middle of last year. Her granddaughters, Bethany Morgan and Michelle Bogle, said Nora has never forgotten anything and remarkably is still of sound mind.

“When I was growing up I was always in sports (volleyball, tennis), and as I got older I always walked,” Nora said. “I walked many miles and I had a friend we would walk and gossip for two-and-a-half to three miles a day.”

Nora said she loved Spearman and it was a “nice little town” and said Pampa has been wonderful and has wonderful meals from Pampa Senior Citizens Center.

There will be a reception for Nora’s 100th birthday at 2320 Dogwood Lane in Pampa with light refreshments and cake. The reception is from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24.

The Pampa News would like to wish Nora a happy 100th birthday.

Proclamation by Mayor Brad Pingel for Nora Pearl Delozier Day

WHEREAS one hundred years ago, Nora Pearl Bentley blessed her parents Hubert & Lorena Bentley with her birth on January 24, 1920 in Donley County just south of McLean; and

WHEREAS, as a child Nora grew up during the Great Depression and lived in Magic City, Texas where her father Hubert C. Bentley was Mayor; and

WHEREAS, she attended a one room school house that was shared with other children including her sister Josie Evelyn who was 7 years younger; and 

WHEREAS, in 1940 she married Buddy Bogle and had 2 children, Donna and Charles. Buddy passed away in 1953; and

WHEREAS, Nora married Clark Delozier whom she met in church and married in 1955, he had 2 children Terry & Toni; and

WHEREAS, Nora raised 4 children, Donna, Charles, Terry and Toni & instilled values only found in the love of a mother for her children which has extended onto 9 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren & 14 great-great-grandchildren; and 

WHEREAS, after a life of 50-plus years in Spearman, at Clark’s passing in 2011 she moved to Pampa to be closer to family; and 

WHEREAS, growing up and being shaped by her strong faith in Christ she has provided loving guidance and wisdom to the future generations of her family whom she is happily surrounded by in the City of Pampa and many throughout the Panhandle; Because of her our lives are immeasurably better for having her among us; and 

WHEREAS, together we gather to celebrate that Nora Pearl (Bentley) Delozier has graced those around her with one hundred years of life, love, a gentle spirit & her joyful enthusiasm for life; 

NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Brad Pingel, Mayor of Pampa, Texas do hereby proclaim January 24, 2020 as:

“Nora Pearl Delozier Day”

In the City of Pampa and request all citizens to join us in paying special tribute to this extraordinary woman. 

IN WITNESS HEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Pampa to be affixed this 24th day of January, 2020