Nora's father and stepfather
Nora's life took a shift in 1933 when her father died. Her father was school superintendent and had the means to support his children comfortably. She was able to attend Texas Technological College and receive her bachelor's degree in Spanish and English from the School of Liberal Arts. Her mother remarried in 1936 to a hard working farmer.
Both men influenced her, but the early death of the teacher would serve as a foreboding to both Nora and Florence in the sense that the pursuit of education may lead to difficulties later in life. For example, Nora's education allows her to find work as a school teacher, but she also loses her life savings while unmarried and working in the education sector. She eventually finds her soulmate when she begins working at the cotton gin. Her husband is hard-working (much like her mother's second husband) and serves as a constant supportive presence in the relationship and family.