SUDBURY -- A northern Ontario woman who recently received one of Israel's most prestigious honours has died.
Nora Visser, of New Liskeard, received the honour from Israel and Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem, for her family's role in saving a Jewish man's life during the Second World War.
She died Dec. 18 at the age of 90. She came to Canada from the Netherlands in 1950, eventually settling in New Liskeard in 1965.
In October, Visser's family received the Righteous Among the Nations honour, which recognizes people who put their own safety in jeopardy to help Jews during Nazi terror and systemic murder during the Holocaust.
"We mourn the passing of Nora Visser of New Liskeard," the Twitter account of the Consulate General of Israel in Toronto and Western Canada tweeted Monday.
"Daughter of Rein Hulsker and Cornelia Hulsker-Schiess, the Righteous Among the Nations, who at great personal risk saved Jews during the Holocaust. May their noble memory be a blessing."
Visser’s parents hid a Jewish man in Holland during the Second World War. During the dark times in the 1940s, families like Visser’s were a light of hope taking in scared Jews and hiding them.
According to her obituary, Visser was independent right to the end.
"In the face of the various challenges that life confronted her with, Nora lived with creativity and hope and resourcefulness," her obit said. "Just three days before her death, she was still planning new recipes to try out for next summer’s market. Faith and her church community were profoundly important to Nora, and she placed her confidence in the wisdom of the loving God she trusted."
A service will be held in her honour in New Liskeard "once it is safe to travel and gather together," the obit said.
