Robert Nolan

Robert Nolan was the son of George and Bertha (Walsh) Nolan and the husband for 63 years of Nancy (Nasiff) Nolan. Nolan graduated from Durfee High School in 1949, attended Thibodeau Business College and graduated from Providence College BA, Johnson & Wales University BS, Rhode Island College M.Ed. and the University of Connecticut PdEd. He held a Robert A. Taft Institute of Government Fellowship at Rhode Island College and a Group Leaders Fellowship at the Fall River YMCA. He found seasonal and part-time employment at the Montaup Electric Company, in the Herald News Circulation Department and as a laborer, iron worker, bartender, lifeguard, security guard, store clerk and truck driver. During the Korean War Nolan served with the 4th Infantry Division posted with forces in the British Zone of Northern Germany. After discharge he became aware of the critical teacher shortage and, like many veterans, was drawn into what became his lifelong vocation. During his ten years in the Swansea School System he taught at the Brown School, was Assistant Basketball Coach and Football Scout at Case High School, Principal of the Mason Barney School, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent and President of the Swansea Teachers Association. In his twenty years with the Barrington School System, Nolan taught at Barrington High School, West Barrington Elementary School, Barrington Middle School and was Assistant Principal of the Middle School and Principal of Primrose Hill Elementary School. In that period he worked at Brown University in collaboration with a team of Rhode Island teachers on a U.S. Office of Education grant to determine routine procedures in the teaching of controlled and creative writing. At that time he was also affiliated with Providence College and Johnson & Wales University as an Adjunct Instructor. Nolan spent several years overseas in a variety of positions. In his four years in American Samoa he was Principal of a K-8 village school, Principal and football coach of a high school, Director of the Community College and President of the Dependent School PTA. He was also assigned to the faculty at Stanford University to coordinate the Stanford-Samoa Project, which brought Samoan educators on familiarization tours to the United States. He served as Principal-Headmaster for a year at the International School of Grenada and taught English as a Second Language for six months at the Shanghai American School. With Mrs. Nolan, he participated on Familiarization Tours, which involved evaluating the quality of a country's tourist program. This brought them to Morocco, Russia, Finland, Hong Kong, Australia and Spain. They were also invited to assess the quality of education in schools in Singapore, Japan, Argentina, Nepal, Panama and Scotland. Nolan was also active through the years in paraprofessional pursuits. He was an instructor in the American Red Cross Basic First Aid Program in Rhode Island, was an instructor in the Fall River Firefighters Memorial Museum Fire Safety Program, and was a certificated Fall River Preliminary and Special Elections Officer. Nolan took part in the Commonwealth Runners Club events, Somerset triathlons, CYO baseball, YMCA Industrial League softball and basketball and in the Boys Club City League basketball program. He was a member of Amnesty International, Judicial Watch, Lebanese American Society, Corky Row Club, National Rifle Association, American Legion, Fall River Historical Society and the Heritage Society. Mr. Nolan is remembered with love by his son Timothy and his wife Jennifer Vacca, his daughter Mary Eirich and her husband John, his son Brendan and his late son John F. Nolan, along with his brother John Nolan and his niece Kristin. His Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 10:00 AM in St. Mary's Cathedral, Spring Street, Fall River. Burial will be private. Memorial donations may be made to Hope Health Philip Hulitar Hospice Center in Providence, Shriners Hospitals and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. To leave a note of condolence, www.waring-sullivan.com.