James Nolan Jr. of Riverhead Dies November 14

James Nolan Jr. of Riverhead died peacefully on November 14 with his beloved family by his side, after a struggle with multiple illnesses. He was 78.

Born on October 25, 1944, to James Sr. and Anna F. Maloney Nolan, he was raised in Pelham, New York, along with his brother Eugene. While attending Prospect Hill Elementary School, Iona Prep and then Manhattan College (’69), Nolan befriended lifelong pals.

While at Iona Prep, Nolan went on the best blind date of his life, his family said, meeting Marina Pierce of New Rochelle, New York. They married at Holy Family Church, New Rochelle, on September 25, 1971. The couple built a life and family together, starting in Bronxville and then Chester Heights, finally settling in Pelham, on Roosevelt Avenue, where they raised Jimmy, Sean, Pierce and Mia.

The family was very active in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, as well the NYAC, Pelham sports and the school system. The couple loved going to the beach in the Hamptons, especially Foster Memorial Beach. Nolan was an avid music fan and curated amazing road trip song lists. His musical knowledge was legendary. He loved hockey and served as the president of the Pelham Hockey Association in the late 1980s. He was also an avid youth league soccer coach.

Marina Nolan’s courageous battle and subsequent loss to cancer challenged Nolan to the core. Her death on April 3, 1986, changed the trajectory for both the Pierce and Nolan immediate and extended families. With four young children to raise (with lots of help from his mother, “Nanny” Nolan), Nolan strove to overcome adversities without his cherished wife. Confronting these challenges alone led to his lifelong motto: “Every day is a gift.”

A successful seafood distributor, Nolan delivered Alaskan king crab, lobster, and premium shellfish to many of the best restaurants in the Bronx, Westchester and Manhattan. Described by restaurant owners as having a “warm personality” and a “showboat,” Nolan lit up the kitchens’ atmospheres upon delivery.

In his later years, he enjoyed living on the North Fork of eastern Long Island. He was very grateful for all the new friendships he made there.

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1968 to 1974, including on the USS Moale, earning rank as a YN3 Yeoman.

He is survived by his children, James John Nolan III (Lorelei), Sean Michael (Michele), Pierce Joseph (Jennifer), and Mia Sarah (Stephen); his grandchildren, Pierce Joseph Jr. and Trevor James Nolan; his brother Eugene Nolan (Marilyn); niece Katherine Nolan; and nephew Kevin Nolan (Lindsay). He was predeceased by his wife Marina Pierce Nolan; and his parents James Sr. and Anna F. Maloney Nolan.

A Funeral mass will be held at Church of the Holy Family at 83 Clove Street, New Rochelle, NY 10801 on Saturday, November 19, at noon. There will be no wake. The Nolan family wished to thank everyone for their support during these difficult times, but also realizes that Marina and Jim are finally reunited in eternal life. May God bless them and you, they said.