Patrick Bates Nolan

Patrick Bates Nolan was born 2/4/1942 to Thomas J. and Cecile H. Nolan in Minneapolis MN, and died peacefully on 1/19/2012 at home in Huntsville, TX following a massive heart attack in November. He graduated from Southwest HS in Minneapolis and attended Carleton College in Northfield MN, where he met Bobbe Ann Shapiro at a square dance. Because Carleton did not then permit students to be married, he transferred to the University of Minnesota, where he completed his BA, MA and Ph.D. in American History. During graduate school summers he proudly served as a Seasonal Park Ranger Historian at Mt. Rushmore, Lincoln's Birthplace National Historic Site, and Glacier National Park. Patrick taught American History and administered archives and special collections at University of Wisconsin, River Falls and at Wright State University in Dayton OH, where he developed a graduate program in public history. He was a founding member of the Midwest Archives Conference and the Society of Ohio Archivists, and spent a year in Washington, DC with the Council on the Humanities. He organized exhibits and published on the Wright Brothers and the documentation of early flight. After a brief period at The Hagley Museum in Wilmington DE, he came to the Sam Houston Memorial Museum in 1992 as Director. He delighted in costumed re-enactment and actually being paid for firing guns and throwing tomahawks. During this time he made 17 trips with the American Orient Express excursion train as a guest lecturer, bragging that this was "the best boondoggle ever." He officially retired from Sam Houston State University at the end of 2011. Dr. Nolan was active at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Huntsville Rotary, United Way of Walker County, the Texas Prison Museum, the Chamber of Commerce, the Forest Trail, Raven's Rangers and other efforts to promote the University, the Museum, and Huntsville. He was proud to be an honorary member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas and to have served on the board of Humanities Texas. He believed intensely in the value of liberal arts education, railroads and wilderness. Predeceased by his parents, aunts and uncles, and son Patrick Thomas Nolan, he is survived by Bobbe, his wife of 49 years, son Philip George Nolan and wife Kristi of Eagle Lake, TX, granddaughters Catherine Allen Nolan and Rachel Reminder, sister Kathleen Dypwick (Jeff) of Chaska MN, and nieces Ann and Lisa Dypwick of Bastrop TX. Funeral services will be held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. Following the service the family will receive visitors at the Katy and E. Don Walker Education Center on 19th Street from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider joining the Friends of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum, or making a contribution to the Sam Houston Folk Festival or to the Rotary Water Well Program. Those wishing to leave memorial condolences for the family may do so at www.shmfh.com

Patrick Bates Nolan

February 4, 1942 - January 30, 2012