Celebration of Harriet Nolan's Life

First of all I want to thank the Eaglewood family for all the kind words, thoughts and prayers for Harriet.  I know it gave her tremendous comfort each day of her battle with pancreatic cancer.

Harriet and I would have been married 52 years in June.  She is survived by her two sons, Sean and Peter, and their spouses, Christy and Alyssa.  She had four loving grandchildren, Aidan, Brendan, Katie and Nadia.

Harriet worked as an executive assistant in New York City prior to her marriage.  After marrying, she moved to Bath, Maine and worked as a secretary, eventually moving to Florida in 1976 where she worked in the school system for over 10 years.  She was the first woman elected to the Village of North Palm Beach village council. After retirement she continued her service of other by being elected to the Eaglewood HOA Board and serving on numerous committees.  However, of all these accomplishments she achieved, her love for her family always came first.  Her two sons and their families were the most important people in her life.

Harriet and I have enjoyed a wonderful and fulfilling life together.  We raised two thoughtful and caring sons.  We traveled extensively in our RV and several times abroad.  We participated in many Eaglewood activities for the past 15 years and developed lasting relationships with our Eaglewood neighbors.  Harriet has always been a fairly private person and her wishes were to not have any services honoring her passing.  She always said, "Don't honor my death, celebrate my life and birthday (July 9 ^th )."

Her sons have expressed their thoughts regarding their mother.  I have included them in this celebration of her life.  I can think of no greater honor than to be loved and revered by your sons:

Memories of Love (Peter)

LOVE, that is always the first word that comes to mind when I think of my mom.  She only knew how to love with her whole heart, of course, because she never did anything half way.  She was a wife, a mother and a grandmother.  She was not only a mother to her two sons but to an entire community.  Her love for people was insurmountable.  If you met her and got to know her you were invited into the circle of love that surrounded her.  She inspired me to constantly to strive to be a better person for my own family.  Her compassion was contagious and that compassion was the rock that anchored us.  Family was her backbone, and she would do anything she had to do in order to keep us whole.  She is an inspiration to admire, a soul to be cherished and a wife and mother to be loved eternally.

A lifetime of giving, a lifetime of caring and a lifetime of love- these are the memories that we will all carry with us.  She will forever remain in our hearts helping us to be better husbands, parents and, people.  Mom, LOVE is the word that will eternally describe you and I thank you for showering us with your love and teaching us to know how to show it to the people around us.  We will surely love bigger, better and brighter for have you in our lives.

I will LOVE you forever my dearest MOM.

Memories of Love (Sean)

Mom was always our biggest cheerleader.  She would have cut off her right arm for anything that Peter and I needed.  She was selfless, she took care of the entire family, including her parents.  She loved fiercely and if she loved you, you knew it. If she didn't love you, you probably knew that too!  She is the most influential person in my life, she taught us our most important lessons: 1) Treat everyone the way that you want to be treated, 2) always fight for people less fortunate than you, 3) be fair and do the right thing, even if it is unpopular.  I remember her doing this so much while working at NPB elementary and as a councilwoman for 8 years in NPB.  She was asked to run for School Board and County Commissioner but her devotion to being an amazing mom and wife took precedence.

There was so much joy in her and we all shared in her joy of Christmas, travelling and playing games.  She loved nothing more than spending time with family and laughing.  She was also a second mom for so many people growing up and even when Peter and I went to FSU.  Nothing stopped her from loving us and adding to her circle of loved ones. She loved Christy and her boys with such ferocity despite just being in her life for a short period of time. As my brother said, when she loved, she didn't do it halfway.  There are a thousand memories that I will cherish and remind me of you for the rest of my life.

Mom, I am a better person because of you!  I love you and you will always be in my heart and in my head.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Cancer Alliance of Naples, www.cancerallianceofnaples.com or Treasure Coast Hospice, www.treasurehealth.org .

Please feel free to share a remembrance or message of condolence with the family through this online guestbook.