Larry Jordan Nolan

Larry Jordan Nolan was welcomed into this world on December 14, 1935 in Foster Falls, VA, by Irvin Brame Nolen and Irma Ruth Jordan Nolen, and older sister Nancy Paige Nolen Lane. Thanks to a later legal clerical error that was never corrected, Larry's legal surname became Nolan.Larry died peacefully of natural causes on February 9, 2025 in his home in Wichita, KS. The Nolen family made the trek from Virginia to Wichita, KS, where they resided a few years. Then when Larry was 12 years old they returned to southwest VA, where his father ran a Texaco gas station in Hillsville. Upon returning to Wichita two years later in 1949, Larry completed 9th grade at Roosevelt Junior High and graduated from Wichita East High School in 1953. His college education included Virginia Polytechnic Institute, University of Oklahoma, and culminated in a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Wichita State University in 1957. On August 25, 1957, Larry married Sandra Jan Murray, daughter of Charles Clostin "Irish" and Carolyn Suhm Murray, of Wichita, KS. To this union was born a daughter, Pamela Sue Nolan, and a son, Ronald Lee Nolan. Larry was employed by Boeing Military for the majority of his career. His first project was working on ejection seats for the B-52 Bomber aircraft. He went on to specialize in environmental systems, working on B1 bombers, top secret projects, and his favorite of all, Air Force One, the first modified 747-200 that was delivered to the George Bush administration on 8/23/1990. Larry's claim to fame occurred on one of the many Air Force One test flights: he was the first person to sit in Air Force One's Oval Office. Despite divorce in 1980, love was still in Larry's future. While on a Boeing work assignment with Hamilton Standard in Connecticut, Larry met Beatrice "Bebe" W. Payne, married her on April 22, 1983, and gained three step-children: Richard, Rebecca (Callaway), and Benjamin Payne. Larry and Bebe resided in Wichita until his retirement in 1995 when they gave in to the irresistible lure of the beautiful northwest and relocated to Washington state, enjoying the good life in Puyallup, WA, and Graham, WA. Bebe passed away October 9, 2018. Larry returned to Wichita in 2020 to be near family. He became the third resident on the family "estate" when he moved in next door to both his daughter, Pamela, and granddaughter, Kendra. Living on adjacent properties along the Arkansas River was a blessing to all three households and fostered family togetherness, particularly while imbibing on Larry's favorite vices that included diet Coke, Cheetos Puffs, Twinkies, and a cigar, of course. The resident birds, squirrels, geese, and pet dogs enjoyed an endless stream of daily treats from Larry's generous hand. He was a regular customer at least four times a week at The Copper Oven restaurant, where staff affectionately addressed him as "Mr. Larry,” always seated him at "his" table, where he was served his usual "No. 9" breakfast. Larry was preceded in death by his father, Irvin Brame Nolen (1967), his mother, Irma Ruth Nolen Churchward (2004), and wife, Beatrice Nolan (2018). He is survived by his sister, Nancy Paige Nolen Lane; his daughter, Pamela Nolan Fruechting (husband, Vail); his son, Ronald Lee Nolan (wife, Kate). Eleven grandchildren: Jeremy (Rebecca) Fruechting, Kendra (Rick) Neill, and Austin (Ashley) Fruechting; Laura Nolan Bastida (Liam), Jonathan Lee Nolan (Jessica), and Heather Elisabeth Nolan; Ryan and Audra Payne; Hannah Thompson; Melissa Callaway Hopfner, and Melody Callaway Pike. Eighteen great-grandchildren: Vivian Deevers (Nation), Vail, Hudson, Emmett, Joel, and Evan; Calvin, Fallyn, Maggie, Duncan, and Jane Neill; James and Madelyn Bastida; Logan, Owen, and Nolan Hopfner; Quinten and Jameson Pike. Larry’s first great-great-child (Vivian and Nation Deevers) is due in summer 2025. Visitation and Viewing will be from 6:00 - 8:00 pm, Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at Downing & Lahey East Mortuary. Celebration of Life will be at 11:00 am, Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.

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