It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Peter Kevin Nolan. Peter passed away peacefully in his sleep on March 17, 2024, leaving behind a legacy of deep love, creativity, and intellectual curiosity.
Peter is survived by his daughters, Sarah Nolan and Rachel Kenney; grandchildren Julian, Viola, Zachary, Sophie, and Vivian; siblings Bernard Nolan, Brian Nolan, Sr. Carol Nolan, and Mark Nolan; and sons-in law Douglas Shore and William Kenney.Peter was predeceased by his parents, Grace and Bernard Nolan, stepfather John Adams, sister Kathleen Rose, and partner Kay Phillips. Peter is also survived by former spouse Barbara Van Reed, mother to Sarah and Rachel, former spouse Jeanne Freeman, and step-daughters Rachel Adams and Naomi Goldin.
Peter was born on February 1, 1948, in Ayer, Massachusetts and grew up by the shores of Lake Cochituate, the backdrop for many youthful adventures.He was a graduate of Xavier High School, to which he tributed his early love of intellectual rigor and academic challenge.He earned a B.A. from Boston College, where he studied English and German, further fueling his love of writing.
Peter’s professional life was driven foremost by his intellectual curiosity and embrace of any challenge. He started out as a news producer and went on to a successful career in public relations. Not only an elegant and sophisticated writer, Peter had a sharp mathematical mind and a gift for presenting complex scientific concepts in accessible terms, skills that led him to work in defense at Los Alamos and Sandia National Labs in New Mexico. In his later years, he transformed his passion for building N-scale model trains and boats into a professional endeavor that brought him great joy. There was no model boat that Peter couldn’t build. His custom-made, meticulous and historically-accurate models are on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Historic Depot and Railroad Museum in Decatur, Alabama.
Peter’s other talents and interests were seemingly boundless. He could build furniture, design a house, paint, draw, take beautiful photos, restore old cars, write a novel, play golf, tennis, and chess, and appreciate a fine sushi meal.
Peter was a proud and protective father to his daughters, always game to coach basketball, share his best chess strategies, tell stories, and take off for explorations of the New Mexican desert. His daughters always knew how much he loved them and wanted nothing more than their happiness. He enjoyed sharing his love of baseball and boat building with his beloved grandchildren. The Nolan siblings shared a close bond, staying in touch and amusing each other with jokes or a good yarn. Peter at his essence was extremely kindhearted, gentle and loyal – as a spouse, parent, sibling, grandfather and friend. He will be dearly missed.
A funeral mass celebrating Peter’s life will be held at Good Shepherd Parish in Wayland, MA in April 2024, date forthcoming. Donations in Peter’s memory can be made to Writopia Lab, a non-profit organization with a mission to foster joy, literacy and critical thinking in children and teens from diverse backgrounds through creative writing at writopialab.org/PeterNolan.
