NonaRae Robinson, of Meridian, Idaho, left this earth for her eternal home on Tuesday, Nov. 15 2023, at the age of 72.
NonaRae was born in Tacoma on May 23, 1951, to Carolyn Fischer, her mother, spiritual guide and confidant. She was adopted in love and life by her father, George Johnson, at an early age. There was never a day in her life she did not feel loved completely and fully by her dad. NonaRae grew up the oldest of five children: Michelle Heytvelt of Clarkston; Roxanne Johnson of Sunnyside, Wash.; Jeff Johnson of Star, Idaho; and Tim Johnson of Denver.
NonaRae married her sweetheart and spouse for life, Jim Robinson, on Jan. 29, 1972, in Sunnyside. Soon after their marriage, they moved to The Dalles, Ore., to begin their family and life together. In 1975 God blessed NonaRae with her first-born son, Ian. In 1978 NonaRae’s second child, Nicole, was born. Teresa Hope, NonaRae’s third child, was born in 1984. During their years in The Dalles NonaRae worked as administrative assistant as well as taking on various other jobs to help support her family, including working as the bookkeeper at their children’s Catholic school, St. Mary’s Academy. During that time, she and Jim were both involved with the local Jaycees chapter. In addition, NonaRae was very active in their local parish as a youth minister and continued contact with many of her students through the years. Together, Jim and NonaRae traveled across Oregon ministering to Catholic teenagers with a retreat program they developed, as NonaRae led the ministry through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and Jim provided music.
In 1985, Jim and NonaRae packed up their home and children and moved to Moscow to begin their next chapter in life and faith. Jim took a job in youth ministry at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Moscow and NonaRae began work for Latah County in the county treasurer’s office, where she was later elected as county treasurer until she left in 1998. Just one year after moving to Moscow, Jim and NonaRae welcomed their fourth child, Sarah. NonaRae continued to share in ministry work with Jim and was a steady and continuous rock in his spiritual journey and the faith journey of so many teens and adults alike.
In 1998 Jim and NonaRae moved to Boise. NonaRae began a new career, making a seamless move into the Ada County Treasurer’s office, including work as the chief deputy treasurer until retiring in 2010 after being diagnosed with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy (Inclusion Body Myositis). This disease began to take its toll. Over the years, as the disease took more of a physical toll on NonaRae, God gave more spiritual strength to her. Anyone who knew NonaRae, knows that she was a spiritual warrior. She had a way of sharing Christ and truth without judgment or condemnation. She led with love and compassion, forgiveness and understanding, and especially with the gift of wisdom granted by God.
After years of searching and hoping to find her biological father and family that she may have and not known, mom was united with her previously unknown siblings in March of 2018.
NonaRae loved reading, watching movies with family, spending time in prayer with friends, praising God through whatever means possible, and sharing her faith and unconditional love with her family. She was truly her grandchildren’s biggest fan and supporter. She was the matriarch of the Robinson family and spiritual guide to so many who were touched and forever changed by her words and prayers through her connection to Jesus and through the Holy Spirit.
NonaRae is survived by: her husband, Jim Robinson; her children: Nicole and Kevin Stoker, Hope Robinson, and Sarah and Frank Liebschwager; her grandchildren: Taylor Bates, Austin Stoker, Michael Robinson, Kayla Stoker, Tyler Stoker, Gabriel Robinson, Tonya Clark, Corbin Robinson, Camden Clark, Christian Stoker and Z Mitchell; her great-grandchildren: Addley Bates and Ayden Bates; her father, George Johnson; her siblings: Michelle Heytvelt, Roxanne Johnson, Jeff Johnson, Tim Johnson, Michelle Solem-Pryor, Margo Coster, Susan Bradley, Valrick Solem, Vickey Solem, Carolyn Aleryani, Marvin Solem and Lauri Estes.
NonaRae is preceded in death by her son, Ian Robinson; her grandchild Ashley Robinson (Ian), and her mother Carolyn Johnson.
Services were held as follows: Sunday, Nov. 26, viewing and rosary at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 1500 E. Wright St., Boise; Monday, Nov. 27, funeral Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of the Rosary Church; graveside service at Cloverdale Funeral Home and Cemetery, Boise; and the celebration of life/funeral dinner, was held at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, following the graveside service.
Cloverdale Funeral Home of Boise was in charge of arrangements. Tributes and acknowledgements can be left at cloverdalefuneralhome.com.
If you would like to contribute, please consider a donation to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (mda.org) to support continued research to end the suffering from this disease.
Flowers can be sent through Cloverdale Funeral Home, 1200 N. Cloverdale Road, Boise, ID 83713.
Our family would like to thank the caring and compassionate staff of St. Alphonsus Hospital ICU, Ancora Hospice Team, Bright Star Caregivers and all who loved NonaRae as much as we do. More than anything, we would like to thank our Lord for giving us the time to love NonaRae just a little more before taking her home.
“Each person that leaves us, leaves a piece of their heart with us as they take a piece of ours with them.” —NonaRae Robinson
