Our next profile-e says “any day on the river is a good day. It’s actually beautiful and peaceful.” My guess is that it is the sense of freedom that the river offers that is so attractive to Nona Furlow Borror. You’ll see what I mean.

Do you remember seeing Nona at any parties or school functions? On those rare occasions when she did attend, she probably lied or had to sneak out of the house to get there. Nona’s father, like my mother and maybe one or both of your parents, was just a little overprotective. Mr. Furlow tried to keep his oldest daughter safe and out of trouble. Well, guess what, Daddy? Locking a girl up until she gets married doesn’t work. It didn’t then and it doesn’t now, but that’s A Whole ‘Nother Story so back to Nona.

Nona’s mother strongly encouraged Nona to go to beauty school in the early seventies, but it just wasn’t Nona’s choice of careers. She later went to nursing school at Lewis & Clark Community College and graduated in 1987 as an RN. Then, she went to McKendree for her BSN and on to Greenville College for a BS in Leadership / Management. Nurse Nona has done a little of everything in the field of nursing: nurse's aide, staff nurse, ICU nurse, house supervisor, Director of Sub-Acute Patient Care Services and Director of Nursing.

She’s currently working for the Department of Corrections as a Health Care Administrator over a small prison hospital. Nona said, “My dad always said if I didn’t change my ways, I’d end up in prison and Dad was always right.”

First, she married Roger and divorced and then married Bill and divorced. She has three kids – Jennifer, Adam and Autumn and seven grandchildren. More recently, Nona was involved with someone she considered to be the love of her life (see bonfire pictures this past year) but he ended it in November. Nona says she’s attempting to learn country dancing but somehow her feet aren’t cooperating yet. Anyone have any tips for her? She has a goal this year to learn how to swim better since she just learned how to float last summer in Terri Hohnsbehn Smith’s pool. Terri Hohnsbehn is also one of our classmates (I believe she was one of the featured “quiet girls” on the blog several months ago).

This gal is up to her knees in weiner dogs. Nona’s rather short so “knees” is an accurate measurement! She tried breeding her dog, Ginger, a few years ago, but Ginger had some difficulty delivering the pups and Nona had to assist her in a major way! After that bonding experience, Nurse Nona became too attached to the pups to sell them. Now Nona gets to feed, bathe and walk 4 year-olds, Red and Minnie, along with momma, Ginger.

Nona says she loves anything outdoors. She has her own 28-foot pontoon boat and loves fishing, where she baits her own hook and practices catch & release. Ultimate freedom!