Nora Specian

Nora Theresa Specian passed away peacefully sleeping at her home on May 17, 2022.

          She was born at home on June 27,1927 on Jersey Street in New Brunswick, NJ. with the assistance of a mid-wife and her beloved Aunt and name sake Nora Brown Lebbing.

         Nora was predeceased by her loving husband, Anthony Charles Specian of 63 years in 2009 and their 12 day old son William Alexander in 1956.  

         Left with beautiful memories of an adoring mother, grandmother and Great Grandmother, are her children Anthony Jr. (Christine) of Branchburg; her daughter Terri Lynn Martynenko (Michael) of Trenton; Thomas (Ann) of Bound Brook; Twelve grandchildren: Melissa Martynenko (Jeffrey Hodge), Michael Martynenko (May), Dana Spero (Steven), Lindsay Hastings (Gregory), Jessica Specian, James (Kasey) Specian, Eric (Francesca) Specian, Andrew (Allison) Specian, Anthony(Trish) Specian, Vincent Angelo, Ashley (Chris) Walsh, Courtney (Ryan) Woods and Nicholas Gapch.   Great Grandchildren: Christopher and Fiona Spero; Zachary Hastings; Alex, Ana, and Emma Hodge; Angel and Ian Songalia; Nora Lynn Martynenko; Joel, Caleb, Ethan, Nicholas, Agostino, Francesco, Lydia, Peter and Charlotte Specian; Brielle Walsh and Alaina Woods.

         Nora lived most of her early life in Oldwick and Lamington. She worked collecting eggs at 10 years old and also groomed and rode horses in her teen years. She loved swimming, even in February, in the Lamington River when she was young. She worked at various jobs throughout her life as a cashier, waitress and then at RCA midnight shifts so she could be with her children. She worked at RCA then at Ethicon before retiring in 1992.

         Tony and Nora began traveling to various Race tracks, which she and Tony loved watching and betting. They also owned a race horse, Kensington Gal, for a short time. In her later years Nora mostly loved gardening, watching square dancing, Gaither’s Gospel Singers and Lawrence Welk and News12NJ.

         During her life, Nora encouraged her children to care for many animals;  cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, ducks, chicks, guinea pigs, gerbils and finally a koi pond.  As a child, she once rescued a runt piglet to keep it warm and feed it because the mother pig rejected it. She was kind, generous and caring. Her giggles were contagious.

         She will be missed by her children and grandchildren who will tell many happy stories of Grammy Specian.

         In lieu of flowers, donations to an animal shelter of your choice. Or if you are so inclined, adopted a rescue animal in Nora’s memory, as she found great comfort in her later years from her precious cats Suki, Nonie and Petey.

         Funeral and Burial services were private.  A Celebration of life will be planned for sometime in June when Nora would have turned 95.

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