Juanita J Nolen

Nita Nolen began to turn the pages of the new mystery of her life, that Second Chapter with her Savior and Friend, Our Heavenly Father, Thursday morning, April 12, under the loving gaze of her family. In the quiet stillness of the early morning hours, while the crisp air of a spring Wenatchee morning was just coming to bloom, Mother grasped the outreached hands of the Angels that came to greet her and said to us without a word, "Good bye for now....your father, your brother and I will be waiting at Home for you when your New Chapter begins". 'Nita came in to this world, literally, in a blaze of glory...having been born Juanita Juel Barkhurst to the late Tom and Marie Alice (Pickle) Barkhurst during a forest fire along the banks of Wannacut Lake, Washington, on a small farm that her parents owned. Uncle Whitey had to ride the family horse to town to bring the doctor out to assist in her delivery...only to find, upon his return, that Little Juanita had already made her debut. She excelled in school...but, having contracted rheumatic fever in the third grade, she was out of the classroom for a great deal of that year recuperating. However, through her sheer will, determination and acumen, she completed enough of her studies to advance along with her classmates to the fourth grade right on schedule. She was a former Maypole Queen of Oroville. Having lived through the Great Depression during her childhood, 'Nita assisted the family in "making ends meet" by working after school at the filling station that they owned in Oroville for a time, picking fruit with her Mother in the orchards of the upper valley as the seasonal fruit came along and many more such jobs. Mother used to tell us about working for a dollar or two a day, if that, and gladly giving it to her Mom and Dad to help put food on the table...it was what everyone did...and she thought nothing of it but always knew that someday her children would know an easier way of life...and she made sure that day came to be. Somewhere along the way, the specific date now gone forever, her Mother had lost her first husband and remarried. Mom, liking this new addition to the family very much, took his last name, Bailey, and began to call him Daddy. All reports are that he was just as smitten with her as she was with him. 'Nita and her parents moved to Fresno California after graduating from Oroville High School. She attended Fresno State College and excelled in campus life. After her Dad's passing, she and her mother moved back to Washington and 'Nita transferred to Washington State College where she was to meet the love of her life, ROTC Col. Gerald H. Nolen. They dated for several months before getting married at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho on June 4th, 1949. They continued with their studies at then WSC, now WSU, until both had received their degrees, living on love and a shoestring...and beginning their family. After graduation, Gerald accepted an offer to go to work for H.R. Spinner Company in Wenatchee and they moved in the heat of the summer. Nita went to work for the Washington State Experiment Station were she was affectionately known as "Sunshine". 'Nita loved working for her boss, Dr. Archie Van Doren, but knew that there was something else in her heart that she wanted to do...and that was to assist disadvantaged children and families. She went back to school and completed her certification so that she could begin her seventeen year plus career with the Washington State Welfare Department, now DSHS. 'Nita retired in the early 70's to spend more time with her children and to travel with her husband. During their 44 years together they traveled the globe...golfing, sightseeing, fishing, enjoying quiet time on the beach. 'Nita said that she and her husband truly had a love affair. A long retirement together, however, for them was not to be. On November 22, 1993, she was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald. She continued to make her home on the family ranch, ~7N~ "growing apples and raising kids and grandkids" until just recently. She and Gerald were Charter Members of Trinity United Methodist Church in East Wenatchee where she had taught Sunday School, served on every committee on the Church Council at one time or another, lead the Harvest Dinner for years and served as a member of the United Methodist Women. She was also a Cub Scout Den Mother and a Volunteer door knocker with the American Heart Association. While it is true that 'Nita enjoyed antiquing, golfing, gardening, swimming in her pool with friends, cuddling with her Pom' Sasha, studying the Bible in groups or by herself, what made her smile inside and out was being with her children and grandchildren. She really was the best Mother, Grandmother or Aunt anyone could have dreamed of and she will be so, so missed by her kids, grands and greats, nieces and nephews...and by so many more. She is survived by four children, Gerald H. (Jerry) Nolen Jr., Fountain Valley, CA, Autumn M. (Tim) Evans, Chelan, WA, Georgie Ann Nolen, East Wenatchee and Peter S. (April) Nolen, Wenatchee; one brother, James Barkhurst, Arlington, WA, 8 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and her furry companion's, Sasha and Cici. She was preceeded in death by her husband, one son, W. Nicholas "Nick" (Kris) Nolen, Chelan, on November 14, 2008, and her sister and brother-in-law, Fred and Susan Keller as well as her Mother, Marie Alice Kimball and her step Dad, Tom. Nita's two previous Pom's, Missy and Callie and her favorite cat, Nip, will be traveling along with her. 'Nita's family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Patrick Lynch and his Nurse, Lisa Drummond, of the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center for the incredibly kind, competent and compassionate care over the last several years that they have taken care of Mom. Thank you seems hardly enough...but, we do thank you both so very much! As well, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Randy and Patty Stephens of Autumn Gardens Adult Family Home in East Wenatchee. Their twenty four hour care of mother for the last three years has been nothing short of courageous and a testament to Christian kindness. Mother loved you both and so do we! Lastly, we wish to thank the team at Central Washington Hospital Home Health and Hospice for all of their care and kindness during the twilight of Mothers First Chapter. You Ladies were very sweet to Mom and we thank you for that. For those that wish to make a memorial contribution in Mother's name, you may do so to The 'Nita Nolen Youth Campership Fund of the United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 3595, Wenatchee, 98807. Youth Christian Camping~ transforming lives for Christ, one cup of hot cocoa at a time. A commemoration Service for Mother will be held at the graveside in The Nolen Family section of Evergreen Memorial Park, East Wenatchee on Saturday, April 21st at 2:00pm with Pastors Jim Head-Corliss and Julia Price Officiating. You are invited to view her online tribute and leave a condolence at www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com. We have entrusted Mothers arrangements to the very good care of Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee. The Nolen Family.

Juanita J Nolen

July 6, 1926 - April 12, 2012