Tributes paid to former Worthing mayoress who ‘brought joy and a smile to everyone she met’

Norah Fisher, former councillor, mayoress and alderwoman, passed away last Sunday.

The sad announcement from Norah’s sons, Nick and Mark, received hundreds of reflective comments and reactions on Facebook as the community remembered the hugely popular figure.

Norah suffered from Rheumatoid Arthiritis, an illness that left her confined to a wheelchair, but Mark has fond memories of his childhood as his mother struggled with her health.

“Knowing what I know now, I can look back and see the person she was then was very much who she was throughout the rest of her life as she battled and fought to make our and her lives the best they could be,” he said.

“When she was particularly ill, family, friends and neighbours would all be involved helping. Norah had this inate ability to build friendships and relationships where people go out of their way to help her, as they know they got that back ten-fold.

“In every aspect of her life, her incredible drive and determination never let her lie there and feel sorry for herself, which would have been so understandable. Her selflessness seemed to know no bounds.”

Fondly known as ‘Norah nine toes’ after the removal of one of her little toes, Norah was rarely seen without her assistance dog, Herbie, by her side.

Mark said he remembered an exchange with a doctor who was considering amputating her other little toe.

“Over the years, she had several surgeries, which were always the very last option, in order to try and remove pain or restore some semblence of function in her knee, elbows, her finger joints or the famous amputation of her little toe, which led her from that moment on to be known as ‘Norah Nine Toes’,” he said.

“The day I told a doctor to please find an alternative to amputating her other little toe, as ‘Norah Eight Toes’ just didn’t have the same ring to it, brought raucous laughter from her and a bemused face from the doctor, but epitomised her incredible and often incredibly dry sense of humour for which she is famous.”

In 2012 she acted as mayoress to then-mayor Bob Smytherman, and together the pair attended more than 700 events – a tally still considered to be a record.

Upon retirement she was named as one of Worthing’s aldermen for services to the community and attended one of the Queen’s garden parties where she discussed the work of charity Canine Partners with the Queen and Prince Philip.

Her political partner Bob Smytherman paid tribute to his ‘truly inspirational’ friend.

He said: “Norah always made time for people and brought joy & a smile to everyone she met, and probably the only mayoress to be honoured with the title Hon Alderwoman which is usually only reserved for former mayors and long-serving councillors.

“Norah will be remembered fondly by the whole town and I hope we can come together when this health crisis is over and celebrate her life with a fitting tribute to one of the town’s most popular civic leaders.”

A further tribute came from another of Norah’s friends, Worthing’s Melanie Peters.

She said: “Norah my cheeky friend, we had such great fun when you were mayoress – days at the races, buy local campaigns, getting Bob to dress up in all kinds just for our own entertainment! You and Herbie will always have a special place in my heart.”