Nolan burst onto the scene in Burlington, Vt., on April 29, 2004, and was promptly squeezed into a Florida Marlins’ onesie and toted off to the Little League field for opening day festivities. He was immediately absorbed into the active lives and loving hearts of his older brother and sister, Foster and Brianna, and his parents, Jennifer and John.
Jericho, Vt., was Nolan’s home, and his childhood revolved around the family farmhouse, a couple of barns, an ancient trampoline, a half-built treehouse and a pack of friends. He attended Jericho Elementary School, Browns River Middle School, Mount Mansfield Union High School and the University of Vermont, but Nolan also learned many lessons on the road — living abroad in Vietnam in second grade and in Morocco in middle school — where he learned to bravely try new things, communicate with limited language skills and embrace new cultures.
Nolan’s contagious smile twinkled from his eyes and lit up every room he entered. He was loved deeply by his family and friends, and he loved them back with all of his heart. Yet love was not enough to keep Nolan here. On December 21, 2025, he took his own life. Despite his easy smile, constant kindness and sweet humor, Nolan was struggling to navigate the complexities of being a young adult in 2025, as well as layers of sorrow about which we can guess but never know.
As we move forward, we will focus on all that was beautiful and loving about Nolan. We’ll continue to tell the funny stories of his adventures and find comfort in our memories of his warm love. We encourage you to do the same. Keep Nolan’s memory alive by treating yourself to a spicy snack, taking a run for him on a powder day at Bolton Valley or planting a sunflower in the spring to remember the warmth and color that he brought to all our lives.
For Nolan’s full obituary, please visit cremationsocietycc.com.
We will celebrate Nolan’s life with a memorial service on Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 152 Pearl St., Burlington, VT. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
This article appears in January 7 • 2026.
Nolan is remembered. My heart goes out to all those who loved and cared about him. R.I.P.