Obituary of Robert James Nolan Jr.

Robert James Nolan, Jr., age 58, passed away on August 20, 2020 after experiencing a sudden decline in health due to a neurodegenerative illness he had fought for several years. Bob lived his days as he passed, always putting others first, with determination and grit, and with a loyal and unfaltering love for his family. Born on March 6, 1962, Bob was married to his wife of almost 32 years, Anne (Harris), with whom he proudly raised three sons, Alexander James (wife Melissa), Ian Harris (partner Danielle) and Conor Patrick. Bob was a loving brother of Mary Kathleen Conger (Keith) and is survived by them as well as his brother-in-law Charles Cronenworth and mother Sally Ann ONeill Nolan. Bob was a beloved son-in-law to Donald and Margaret Harris and brother-in-law to Jody, Donald Jr. and Denise Harris, and in his passing joins sisters-in-law Julie Clark and Katie Harris. Before he passed, Bob found comfort in knowing he would spend eternity laid to rest beside his beloved brother Timothy Patrick, and that he would be reunited with his adored sister Anne Cronenworth and father, Robert James Nolan. Bob was a devoted and loving uncle to 11 nieces and nephews, and was a friend and coach to too many people to name. Bob is also mourned by his childhood friend Christopher Luke, who has been by his side since they were 8 year old boys. Bob was an incredibly gifted yet humble athlete who had an encyclopedic knowledge of baseball and hockey and who loved mountain biking, music, playing guitar, trips out west and ham & cheese sandwiches. He was a proud member of the Detroit Raters Senior Hockey Club, a brotherhood of lifelong friends. Once he became a father, Bob devoted his entire life to the interests of his boys, and nothing made him happier or more proud. Bob coached his own three boys in every sport they had an interest in and in so doing, was mentor and coach to many young athletes, specializing in high school hockey and even serving as assistant coach to his son Ians head coaching baseball position, a role Bob treasured. Due to concerns for the health and safety of loved ones, indoor gatherings such as visitation, funeral and luncheon will not be held; instead, a Committal Ceremony will be held graveside at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery on Saturday, August 29, 2020 at 12pm. It is requested that social distance precautions be followed and for those who prefer, the ceremony may also be observed from within your vehicle. We hope you will consider contributing memories, photos or videos to Bobs online guest book. Please copy and paste this link into your browser: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/0ACwAijP In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made in Bobs honor to the National Centralized Repository for Alzheimers Disease and Related Dementias (NCRAD), a national resource with a grant-funded project in which Bob has been enrolled for research purposes. In this way, Bob continues to give to others after his passing as he did throughout his life. https://ncrad.iu.edu/donate.html?