Darlene Nolan

Darlene Elizabeth Nolan, 88, a resident of Davenport, died Friday, January 3, 2020 at Ridgecrest Village in Davenport.

Funeral services and Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 9, 2020 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Davenport. Burial will be at Rock Island National Cemetery. A rosary will be recited at 4:30 p.m. followed by visitation from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 8th at Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home in Davenport. An additional visitation will be one hour prior to mass Thursday at church. Memorials may be made to Our Lady of Victory Foundation or the American Cancer Society.

Darlene was born September 1, 1931 in Arlington, Iowa, the daughter of Ora and Elizabeth (Dyer) Jenkins. On June 12, 1954, she married Thomas John Nolan. He preceded her in death on October 25, 2014.

Darlene was a graduate of St. Ambrose University and received her Master’s Degree from the University of Iowa. For 43 years, Darlene taught in the Camanche, Bettendorf and Davenport schools and was the proud recipient of the Golden Apple for Iowa teacher of the year. She was passionate about making sure each of her students had an opportunity in life to succeed through teaching them to read.

Darlene’s teaching did not stop in the classroom. She was the first women to coach softball in the Davenport Dad’s Club. She led the OLV girls’ softball team to several city championships with her marked up rulebook to challenge the calls. She coached basketball at Wilson Elementary as well. Darlene was also a member of National Education Association, Davenport Area Retired Personnel, University of Iowa Alumni Association, American Legion Auxiliary, AARP, and Plus 60 Club.

As a charter member of Our Lady of Victory parish, she spent 60 years dedicated to building their church community. She developed their first religious education programs, a charter member of the OLV Choir, coordinated cookie walks, worked the annual rummage sales, initiating their Scrips program along with many other volunteer activities. Her proudest accomplishment was the development and success of the Quad City Cookin Cookbook.

Darlene will always be remembered by her smile, giggles and telling her life stories. She loved to travel, play golf, sing and dance. And it is believed among her close family that she was a better fisherman than her husband Tom.

Those left to honor her memory include her children, Patrick (Melony) Nolan of Baldwin, Iowa, Kathleen (Mike) Bruz of San Clemente, California, and Susan (Jon) Connelly of Escondido, California; grandchildren, Aimee (Darren) Winslow, Nikki Nolan, Ryan and Evan Bruz, Sara (Kevin) Brejnak, Jessica Connelly; great grandchildren, Darren and Sariah, McCartney and Aiden, Charlotte and James, Jayna and Jax; and sister, Rosemary (Loren) Burken of Davenport, Iowa.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Robert and Donald Jenkins; and a sister, Norma Hughes.