Timothy Nolan Obituary

Timothy James Nolan, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, born in Detroit on March 7 1947, the third of six siblings, died on July 12, 2025, at the age of 78.
His unexpected death shook all who knew him, at first leaving little room for words, but memories of course quickly emerged. Hurried and sad consultations between friends and family brought forth many stories of time spent with Tim, the tenor of each suggesting that the word one niece used to describe her uncle was applicable across the board: mischievous. In a good way.
Those who grew up with Tim look back and realize that this quality was evident early on. Notably, when he took a summer job driving tourists around Mackinac Island in a horse-drawn carriage. It wasn't a glamorous job by any means, taking care of the horses and living in spartan dorm-like conditions, but Tim, it turned out, could tell stories and corny jokes with the best of them, amazing even his own parents, maybe especially his own parents, who likely had never seen this side of their son. Tim was especially good at the talking part of the job, easily mixing local knowledge with levity, and building a rapport with his passengers. And his, yes, mischievous smile (and laughing eyes) convinced them that he was not spinning yarns merely for tips, though he was happy to get them, but rather because he wanted to engage and that was what he was good at. Tim spent a lifetime happily and fervently engaging with his ever-widening circles of friends and community.
After graduating from Brother Rice High School in 1965, Tim attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester Massachusetts, graduating in 1969 with a B.A. in Economics. He then earned an MBA from Boston University. After graduate school Tim moved to Ann Arbor, his home for the rest of his life, and began his work career in Information Technology at Advance Stamping Company, a family-run business in Detroit. What was important to Tim then, beyond the actual work, was being part of that family organization, getting to know and appreciating the people who had made Advance Stamping the successful business it was. Tim left the company when the ownership structure inevitably changed. After taking some time to travel throughout Indonesia by way of ferries and, it was rumored, or imagined, motorcycle, although that was more likely a later trip to Ireland. Tim continued working in the IT field as a programming consultant, often for small non-profit entities. Tim served for years on the Board of Southwest Community Health Center, now Southwest Housing, a Detroit non-profit that renovated apartments to provide needed housing, long before Detroit was fashionable. He was a big Detroit booster, perhaps channeling his parents' love of the city.
Tim enjoyed nothing more than interacting with all the generations of family, as well as with his extensive sets of friends from high school, college and his Ann Arbor community, about any and all topics. Sports of course: University of Michigan football, the Lions, the Tigers, and oh my, the Red Wings. Hockey was in Tim's soul-he began playing in youth hockey leagues and continued that interest in college and well beyond, all the way to Ann Arbor Over-40, or was it Over-50, Leagues, always as goalie. A niece reports that he could talk hockey for hours, was always happy to razz his Chicago brother-in-law when things did not go the Black Hawks' way versus the Red Wings and continually opined about how the NHL was the best back in the day when there were just six teams. The Original Six. Tim was the uncle who dressed as Santa at Christmas, brought U of M or Red Wings gear for the kids on Christmas visits and skippered the younger cousins on sailboat rides on Little Traverse Bay in Harbor Springs. He was also the uncle who could reliably be found outside at a family wedding smoking a butt, one that, by the way, he had bummed off one of the the 'kids' because, ahem, Tim did not smoke.These sidewalk forays of course lead to more engagement.
Tim was an avid follower of the news and did not try to hide his views. One of his favorite topics, it must be said, was current events. In other words, politics. And it is more than fair to say that Tim was a natural antagonist. Convinced of his own power of persuasion, he never shied away from "spirited" conversations, at family dinners, over morning coffee at Sweetwater with Ann Arbor pals or on Zoom calls with Holy Cross classmates. Like hockey, politics was in Tim's DNA. Everyone who loved Tim knows this. At heart, though, Tim was a loyal friend and loving brother, always engaged in what life brought his way. He will be missed.
Tim leaves behind his five siblings, Patricia (John), Mike (Jenny), Mary K (Jack), Jane (Jack) and Tom. They will miss their brother's sense of humor, his generosity of time, willingness to step up in a crisis and, especially, his devotion to keeping family connected. Tim was an energetic uncle to his 15 nieces and nephews, always interested in their lives, and equally engaged, as ages allowed, with his 25 grand-nieces and grand-nephews, who range in age from 20 years to 3 months.
Funeral services from Most Holy Trinity Church, 1050 Porter St., Detroit, MI 48226 on Thursday, August 14, 2025 beginning at 10:30AM.
In Lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to:
Loyola High School
15325 Pinehurst St.
Detroit, MI 48238
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