Roy Andrew Nolan

Roy Andrew Nolan, of Temple, passed away Saturday October 16, 2010 at the Temple VA. Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Monday, October 18, 2010, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Tom Keener of Mart Church of Christ officiating. Burial will follow at Cox Cemetery at Old Union. Pallbearers will be Brian Nelson, Colby Thompson, Jason Nicholas, Roger Nolan, Mark Handley, and Phillip Nash. Roy was born July 15, 1930 in Aquilla, TX to Almer Lee Nolan and Mary Emma (Woodard) Nolan. Roy's mother passed away when he was 2-1/2 years old,and then he was placed in the Waco State School at the age of 6. He was adopted at the age of 8 and eventually left that home. In his early teens, Roy was a featherweight Golden Gloves boxer in Denver, Colorado. In his middle teen years, he was a shepherd in the Denver, Colorado area, and also in the Plano, Texas area. In his later teen years, Roy was involved in the rodeo as a bronc rider. Roy enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on March 9, 1928, and served until March 8, 1952. He achieved the rank of Corporal and was a marksman and sharpshooter. He served in Guam, Japan, The Mariana Islands, and was a decorated war veteran in Korea, where he received the Purple Heart due to wounds incurred during the Chosin Reservoir Campaign. After his 4 years of military service, he returned to Waco where several of his family members lived. He was introduced to Margie Juanita Brown by his brother, Leonard, on a blind date. They were married on August 28, 1952, and celebrated their 58th. wedding anniversary in August of this year. He was working at the old Waco power plan as a mechanics helper. When they left Waco, he moved to northeast Texas where he was employed by Texas Power and Light at the Rivercrest Power Plant as a control room operator. His three children were born in the years that he lived in northeast Texas. The family then moved to Hobbs, NM, where they lived for 23 years, and where he was employed by New Mexico Electric as a control room operator, and then became a Shift Supervisor. He also owned a small engine repair and bicycle shop in Hobbs for 13 of those years. Over the past 27 years, he lived in Bangs, Hamilton, Rosebud, and Temple, TX. Mr. Lewis was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Francis Ferguson and Cleo Pace, and his brothers, Bill Nolan, Vernon Nolan, and Leonard Nolan. He is survived by his loving wife, Margie Juanita Nolan; daughter, Sheri Handley and husband Mark of Spring; daughter, Dianne Nelson of Rosebud; son, Stanley Noland and wife Joy of Brock; eight grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.