Jim Noland

Jim Noland was born on March 27, 1946, in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from Lincoln High School and received a bachelor's degree in English from Drake University and an M.A. and PhD in English from the University of Iowa. While in school, he worked with his parents and brothers building several homes on the south side of Des Moines. He also worked summers painting houses while in college. He used to say he was the least handy of all his family members but among the handiest of his English Department colleagues.
Jim taught English at Iowa State University from the early 1980s until he retired in 2009. His specialty at Iowa State was writing. He was one of the first instructors to familiarize himself with computers and helped organize the English Department's writing labs. For several years he hired and supervised the students who served as lab monitors.
Jim taught freshman composition, business writing and technical writing. He also collaborated with others in the English Department on several projects, among them, instructing teaching assistants on how to teach writing (ISUComm) and helping develop an innovative project titled Communication Across the Curriculum. Jim also wrote poetry and had several poems published in poetry journals. He was a longtime member of and an active volunteer with the League of Women Voters of Ames and Story County and participated in several book clubs.
Jim and Linda Murken were married in 1985 and continued to live in Ames until 1996, when they moved to her parents' farm west of Gilbert. They participated in the building of their house and gardened there with Donna (Linda's mom) until she entered long term care in 2013. They also planted 30 acres of prairie on the corner of GW Carver and 170th St. ln 2023 Jim and Linda moved to Northcrest Community. Jim moved to Heartwood House in August of 2025. Throughout his decline into dementia, he remained the kind and gentle soul we all knew so well.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Carroll and Pauline Noland, his mother-in-law Donna Murken, a sister-in-law Linda Noland, and an infant son Sam Noland.
Jim died at Heartwood House at Northcrest in Ames on December 21, 2025. He is survived by his wife Linda Murken, daughter Maggie (Jon) Hoffa, son Ben (Rachel) Noland, grandchildren Dylan (Emily) Hoffa, Carson Hoffa, Ruth Noland, Emma Noland, Abraham Noland and Henry Noland, brothers Joe Noland and Don (Marlene) Noland, and many cousins, nieces and nephews, and too many good friends to name here.
Jim was a poet, a carpenter, a gardener, a teacher, a parent and a grandparent, a basketball fan, a photographer, a cook and a baker, a great friend, a good travel companion, and the best person in the world to walk on a beach with. He did all these things well but was always modest, never calling attention to himself. May he always walk beside us.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Marty Graham Scholarship Fund, to support the ISUComm Program (make check to Department of English, noting Marty Graham Fund, and send to 203 Ross Hall, Iowa State University, Ames 50011) or to the Alzheimer's Association.
The family thanks the staff of Heartwood House and Suncrest Hospice for the compassionate care they gave to Jim and the support they extended to us.
We invite you to join us for a celebration of Jim's life on Saturday, December 27, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Grandon Funeral Home, 414 Lincoln Way, Ames. If the spirit moves you, please wear a favorite tropical shirt or other colorful garb.