Our dear Nona Gale Fitzwater passed away on June 11, 2018. She was born on November 24, 1950 to Garland Fitzwater and Irene (Ditch) Fitzwater at Ashland Hospital, Ashland, KS.
Nona spent her childhood on a farm west of Protection, KS. She was born into a music loving family and as a young child, her love of music became obvious at a very early age. She loved to sing and play the guitar, often competing in contests with her younger brother Bill. Her love for singing and entertaining people continued into adulthood, singing with older brother John. She was an avid fan of Elvis and Country music.

Nona attended Protection Schools, graduating Valedictorian of her class in 1968. She attended Dodge City Community College and earned an Associate of Science in preparation for her BA Degree from Wichita State University two years later. In 1972, she relocated to Kansas City and worked as an intern Laboratory Technician at Trinity Lutheran Hospital, where she completed her BS requirements at WSU in Medical Technology.
After completion of seven years at Trinity Lutheran as a Medical Technologist, Nona accepted a MT and In-Laboratory Information Systems position at Shawnee Medical Center until 2005. During this time, she worked part time at St. Luke's Hospital as a LIS technician and also worked with Workman's Compensation lawyers translating medical reports.
In 2005, Nona was considering retirement when she was offered a position as Senior IT Analyst with Adventist Health Service Corporation. During the next several years to the end of her life, she developed several close friendships and considered many of her co-workers her 'second family'. She loved working with her team, traveling to over forty hospitals and implementing computer systems all over the country. Nona's work emails and telephone calls were many because she was the go-to person for technical questions regarding the integration of Cerner software and medical applications. Her coworkers coined a phrase, "What would Nona do?"

Nona was a loyal Kansas City Royals and Chiefs fan. Most important to her was her love of family. She never had any children, but her large family, including several nieces and nephews, along with her dogs filled her life.
The year was 1980 when Nona's best friend, Suz asked if she would be the Maid of Honor at her and Tom Zach's wedding. Nona responded, "Are the Royals playing that day?" (They weren't!) Her Kansas City Royals baseball team was an important aspect of her life, as evidenced by the Royal Blue bedroom in her home where the walls are adorned with KC Royals Posters and newspaper clippings.

Nona returned to her heavenly home after a five-year battle with cancer. Waiting to greet her on the far side banks of Jordan are her parents, younger brother Bill, both sets of grandparents, sister-in-law LaRetta Fitzwater, brother-in-law Bruce Page, nieces Shannon (Petty) Phillips, Christi (Maris) Peterson, nephews Mike Sanders, Sheldon Hoffman and great nephew Ross Petty.

She is survived by her sisters Carol (Jim) Petty of Pryor, OK; Betty Jo (Marvin) Maris and Sue Page of Protection, KS; Sandy (Roger) Hoffman of Coldwater, KS, brothers John (Dixie) Fitzwater of Olathe, KS; Jack (Mary) Fitzwater of Protection, KS; and sister-in-law Janet Fitzwater and partner Charley Wooden of Enid, OK.
There are also nineteen nieces and nephews, many special cousins and special friends, her Pathnet Team and all those she worked with or came into contact with through the years. She was the Rock and the Glue that held the family together and in many ways, she has helped and touched them all. Our Sister, Aunt, Friend and Mentor, she will be missed by all.

Calling times are from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, June 15, 2018, (Family Will Greet Friends From 5-7 p.m.) at Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, Coldwater, KS.

Funeral service is at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 16, 2018, at United Methodist Church, Protection, KS, with Pastor Wayne Stephens presiding.

Burial will follow the funeral service at Protection Cemetery, Protection, KS.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the United Methodist Church of Protection, KS, or Donor's Choice, in care of Hatfield Prusa Funeral Home, P.O. Box 417, Coldwater, KS 67029.