Nora Dee Faison

The elegant, sophisticated FASHIONISTA Nora Dee Perry Faison was born January 8, 1930, in Granville County, NC to the late Lonnie Sr. and O’Peacher Hicks-Perry, the seventh of eleven children. She departed this life on February 9, 2023, after a long illness. She attended public schools in Durham, NC and graduated from Hillside High School, where she was an excellent student who loved learning. Nora was a member of the “safety patrol” in elementary school and a majorette in high school. The Perry family lived in Hickstown, Durham, NC. They attended church regularly and Nora was the church secretary. The Perrys and the Faisons lived around the corner from each other. Nora and E.K. met, fell in love and married. From this union, a son was born and later a daughter in Washington, DC.

While Nora was a homemaker with two small children, she and E.K. supported numerous family members to relocate from North Carolina; our own family “Harriett Tubman.” Nora was a problem solver and family counselor. She often said she was a “lawyer” or whatever we needed! Nora’s employment career started at a local drugstore. She next worked for the US Postal Service, while attending business school in Silver Spring. This led to a position in the accounting department at the Bakery Confectionary Welfare Union where she worked until retirement. Nora volunteered in the community with many organizations. She was the President of Ft. Lincoln New Town Civic Association, mentoring many young people in her neighborhood and helping the elderly. Additionally, she supported the campaigns of several local politicians, the development of Radio One and local charities identified by the Native Washingtonian Club.

Nora had many interests and was very talented! She was an excellent seamstress who loved beautiful things, a great cook, who loved to entertain and sometimes cater events. Her home was well-decorated and filled with beautiful plants inside and outside. She was the elegant, “Sophisticated Lady” of our family!

Nora was a strong proponent of African American issues. She collected historical articles; Black dolls; helped organize the first Hicks family reunion during the 1980s and was the family historian. She was the photographer everywhere she worked and volunteered. Nora loved the Lord and was faithful to her church, First Baptist, Highland Park from 1981, singing with the choir, until the onset of illness in 2011. Nora also served as President of the AGLOW Capitol Heights Lighthouse Ministry for several years, sharing the word of Christ. Nora - a faithful Servant, Nurturer, Mother and Grandmother to many! She loved to dance! She was preceded in death by her Perry siblings, Lonnie Jr., Lillie Mae, Jerry, Alease, Bessie & Jessie, Ollie, Beatrice and Dennis. Her only surviving sibling is Lydia M. Perry Wells (MD).

She leaves to cherish her memory: son, Kelvin Faison (MI); daughter, Diana Faison (MD) and niece, Evelyn Fawehinmi (DC). Grandchildren: Kelvin E. (Bethany) Faison (FL). Christopher Faison (GA). Kyrra Faison (MI). Great-grandchildren: Kannon, Kahlai, Kaylan, Kage, Kyrson, Zaya, Kingston. A special sister-in-law and a host of nieces, nephews, other family and friends.