Elizabeth A. Nolte
October 15, 1919 - February 09, 2015
Mom, Grandma, and Best Friend
Elizabeth Anabel Corn Nolte; born October 15, 1919 in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Known as "Tupie" by her friends and family, she was born to Emmet Judson Corn and Olive Nanny Applewhite Corn. She had two older brothers, Emmet Jr. and Edward Corn. She obviously was the favorite child of her father and the object of childhood torment by her older brothers.
When Tupie was a child, Tucumcari was a young town built up around railroad lines that made significant stops there beginning around 1901. The population grew with the new construction of the railroad facilities and soon new schools, churches and businesses developed.
Tupie lived "in town" but rode her horse "Dixie" to and from elementary school. She was taught etiquette and to be "a lady" and learned scripture from her mother and was given an appetite for adventure from her father.
When she went to Tucumcari High School, she met John Nolte, known as "Lit", three years her senior. He was what she thought about from that point on and they wanted to marry as soon as they could. She went to summer school in order to graduate high school a year early to facilitate her plan. Unfortunately, Emmet and Olive weren't in favor of the marriage plan their daughter had made, so they arranged to enroll her at the Colorado Women's College, in Denver. She stayed a semester before eloping after her 17th birthday in 1936.
Lit and Tupie moved to Albuquerque to put a few hundred miles between them and disapproving parents. Lit always found employment and Tupie learned to cook and set up their home with the meager income and few possessions they had. They seemed to never worry about their financial resources. At 95, Tupie could reminisce about juggling payments on rent and electricity so they could buy a car. They were very resourceful and shockingly innocent.
In 1939, Nancy Elizabeth was born and soon after, Tupie and Lit learned about good paying jobs in Seattle. They packed their belongings into a trailer and moved to Seattle.
Lit found employment right away, but Seattle was "gray every day for a year" and Tupie and Lit decided to head back to the sunshine in Albuquerque and try to settle there. However, even though the sun shined there, the economic situation in New Mexico was not something they could adapt to happily. In the spring of 1941 they learned of good paying jobs at Todd Shipyard in Seattle. They moved to Seattle again and Lit got a good job as a rigger which he kept throughout WWII.
In 1944, John Emmet was born. By then, the family had lived in Seattle and in McMicken Heights. In 1945, right after WWII, Lit quit his job at the shipyards and they headed to New Mexico again. By the time Nancy was a second grader, they moved from New Mexico the last time to the Seattle area. They owned homes in Boulevard Park, and Riverton Heights before Nancy and John E. were grown and "on their own" in the mid '60's.
Lit and Tupie moved to Edmonds and then Camano Island. After Lit passed away in 1997, she moved to Everett and lived independently until 2010.
Tupie worked for Boeing from 1950 to 1962. She installed decals on newly finished aircraft after they were completed by the factory and before they were delivered to the buyer. She was able to climb and crawl into small spaces and apply decals in locations identified in blueprints that gave instructions and precautions to those flying, maintaining, or riding in the aircraft. At that time, decals were not "peel and stick", but required cleaning surfaces with powerful chemicals and adhering the decals with substances that have long since been removed from use. It is what she did and she never complained.
Tupie was a dedicated genealogist and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She spent over 45 years identifying our ancestors, making records of them, and giving appreciation and continuing value to their lives.
With the passing of Tupie, we "do not grieve as others do who have no hope" (1Thes4:13). She knew the Lord, loved Him, read His word, prayed to Him constantly, and was obviously a product of His work. She passed from time to eternity on February 9th, 2015.
Tupie's life has been a wonderful blessing to all of us. We will always miss her and long to see her again.
Tupie is the grandmother of five, the great grandmother of four, and the great great grandmother of four. These kids were cherished by their grandmother and they never doubted it!
With respect for Tupie and her work in genealogy: Nancy's children are Maury (Debbie), Marty (Brenda), and Heidi (Bob). Heid's children are Kelli and Karissa (Chris). Kelli's daughter is Nevaeh. Karissa's sons are Teegan, Tannan, and Jet.
John's sons are Jacob and Jesse. Jacob's children are Stella and Isaac.
Memorial
John 14: 1-3
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
The Twenty-Third Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou annointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.