Obituary of Nondas Matilda Sports

Heaven saved a special place for our precious mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Nondas "Nonnie" Matilda Sports. She departed peacefully bound for her journey to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday evening, September 30, 2013, at the Iowa Veteran's Home in Marshalltown. Funeral Services for Nonnie, will be held 10:00 a.m., Monday, Oct. 7, 2013, at Pence ~ Reese Funeral Home in Newton, conducted by Pastor Jessie Young, Liberty Baptist Church in Marshalltown. The family will receive friends Monday, after the funeral service, with a time of Fellowship and coffee at the funeral home. Burial will be at the Newton Union Cemetery. Memorials have been designated in Nonnie's name. Nondas "Nonnie" Matilda Lewis Sports, the daughter of Robert Charlie and Noviline (Wickliff) Lewis, was born May 31, 1921 in Newton. She was a graduate of the Newton Senior High. Nonnie was the elder of her sisters: Rosemary (Dean) Olson, Louise (Alfred) Grimm, Wanda (Bud) McMaster and Delores (Butch) Clark. After graduating from Newton, she and several of her sisters moved to Long Beach, California. During World War II, she became one of the many women who were symbolized as "Rosie the Riveter." She responded to the call to the war plants, to work on aircrafts and vehicles which were crucial to the war efforts. It was in California where she met and married her beloved husband, George Marion Sports. They enjoyed 62 years of marriage before his passing on September 9, 2008. Year after year, she showed compassion, understanding, hope but most of all unconditional love to everyone. She was the cornerstone of her family. Nonnie, a morning person, was always up before the sun rise, singing and cooking breakfast for her family. She was proud of her garden, where fresh vegetables were raised for her family meals as well as canning for the winter months. She was a fiercely devoted mother and loving farmer's wife where family was her greatest joy. She liked nothing better than to share her homemade bread/cinnamon rolls and visiting, never tiring of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren's stories of what they were doing. She loved to dance the Fox Trot, Waltz, Jive, Swing, Boogie Woogie and Jitterbug. Nonnie was kind and helpful to others and enjoyed reading to residents and playing bingo at the Iowa Veteran's Home, and working on her ceramics. Nonnie will be remembered for her smiles, her side winks and the twinkle in her big brown eyes. She will remain a living presence for her family and friends, for she will be remembered when one smells freshly baked bread, seeing a beautiful pink rose, hearing the whisper of leaves fall, listening to a morning dove coo and/or hear a person hum. Those left to honor Nonnie's memory are her three daughters: Sallie Aschan, Patricia and Marion (Greg) Stayskal; three sons: George Jr., Larry (Pat), and Michael (Sherri), her grandchildren: Shane Aschan (Trish), Christina Sports, Chelsey Pavao (Layton), George Scott Sports, Bryan Van Wyk (Debra), Breanna Stayskal, Kelsey Sports and Lindsay Sports; her great grandchildren, Lauren, Wyatt, Morgan, Joey, Emma, Derrick, Bodie and Tayteum, her younger sister Deloris; many nieces and nephews and their families. Nonnie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband George Marion, her son-in-law Carl Aschan, Jr., grandson Major Shawn W. Aschan; and her sisters: Rosemary, Wanda and Louise. ******************** Mother Our Angel Once upon a time an angel held our hand; She wiped away our tears and helped us understand. Our time on earth is brief, there are lessons to be learned, each precious day God gives us another page is turned. Every chapter full of memories, times of joy and tears, triumphs and defeats, though every passing year. She loved us unconditional, always by our side, when no one else would listen, in her we could confide. With gentle words of wisdom she led us on our way, down the paths of righteousness if ever we did stray. She saw the light in everyone and gave with no regrets; always from her heart let us not forget. Angels come in many forms, for us it is our Mother; with love we cannot say in words.there'll never be another. Every day we turn the page in our hearts will ever remain, everything she taught us as we stroll down memory lane. Thank you God for giving us the most priceless of all treasures, help us Lord to keep alive her memory here forever. As we gather here today there's no ending to her story, another chapter has begun full of grace and glory. God called her to His heavenly home, part of His great plan, although it may be hard, we all must understand. Faith is what is hoped for, things we cannot see, Heaven is promised to all of us if only we believed.