John Patrick NOWLAN

1931 - 2020

JOHN PATRICK NOWLAN November 10, 1931 - April 25, 2020 Larger than life until the very end, John Patrick Nowlan (Pat) suddenly left this world on April 25, 2020. Born in 1931 to George and Miriam Nowlan, Pat grew up with three brothers, George, Charles, Mike and sister Clara, in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He graduated from Acadia University, president of his class. This still lively group celebrated their 65th reunion several years ago. He obtained his law degree from Canada's oldest law school at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He met his wife, tennis whiz Cynthia Cornish, of Palo Alto, California, at the marriage of her brother to his best friend's sister. They stayed up all night talking in the lobby of the Cornwallis Inn, and conducted a long-distance courtship until their marriage at the Stanford University Chapel in April, 1956. After a year in Nova Scotia they drove across the country with baby daughter Nancy to Vancouver and his first law practice at Guild Yule. Pat and Cynthia loved Vancouver and quickly settled into an active life with their growing family. Linda and John Patrick Jr., were born in Vancouver. Pat liked to say he had had children from coast to coast. Politics was a driving force in Pat's life. He returned to Nova Scotia and successfully won his late father George's seat as the MP representing Kings Hants. Pat's fourth child James George was born in Wolfville four days before the election. In the Nova Scotia riding of Annapolis Valley, Pat won eight elections in total, assisted by many devoted campaign workers, constituents and his not-so-secret power, sister Clara Jefferson. He chaired several Parliamentary Committees, and ably represented the citizens of the Valley as a Conservative MP. He served several terms on the Board of Governors of Acadia University. All who knew him would agree he was independently minded, and he demonstrated this quality by sitting as an "Independent Progressive Conservative" for the last two years of his twenty-eightyear Parliamentary career. He loved splitting wood, ocean swimming, tennis, squash, reading history and thrillers, debating, and smoking cigars. Fond of his meals, especially when they involved salmon or strawberry shortcake, Pat could be also relied on to locate the best cheese or smoked meat in each town he was in. Pat and Cynthia retired to California in the mid-1990s, and spent many tranquil years in Carmel Valley, returning to their beloved cabin on Pasley Island in Howe Sound, B.C., each summer. Pat was passionate about people, politics, and Pasley (he was also known for alliteration!). His speeches were famous, often deceptively opening with "to make a long story short..." Pat will be deeply missed by his loving wife of 64 years, Cynthia; their children, Nancy, Linda (Jim), John (Nuket), and James; his six grandchildren; his sister, Clara; brother, Mike; his extended family; and his many friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the George C. Nowlan Memorial Scholarship at Acadia University. Online memories are welcome at dignitymemorial.com.