Nolan V. Smith Sr.

Nolan Vincin Smith Sr. was born Feb. 23, 1949, in Indianapolis, Indiana to Helen “Merk” Catherine Vance and Luther Lee Smith, but his father was always Ray Thompson.

Nolan transitioned at 6 a.m. Dec. 19th at Community Hospital North.

Nolan grew up on the west side of Indianapolis and attended Indianapolis Public Schools 87, 60, Shortridge, and Crispus Attucks High Schools. His sister, Diane Patterson, remembers she and Nolan helped integrate schools and therefore had many instances when they had to fight. In fact, she taught him how to fight, “but then we couldn’t stop him from fighting.”

Nolan joined the U.S. Army after graduating high school and served in Germany during the Vietnam Era.

At 5 years old, Nolan, his sister, and cousin Vance Dalton became members of the family church, Tried Stone Missionary Baptist Church, where he was an usher, starting at a young age.

Nolan was always athletic. He played football, basketball, and boxed at school in the community. He also loved wrestling.

In 1974 Nolan went to work for the City of Indianapolis in the Department of Transportation, where he worked 30 years, retiring in 2004. Nolan was among the city crew that helped open the city back up during the blizzard of 1978.

After retiring from the city, he went to work for Harrison Terrace Nursing Home, leaving after five years to care for his wife and parents.

Nolan was married June 26, 1982 to Iris Wimberly. She remained at his side until his transition. In this union, Nolan had the responsibility of helping rear Iris’ children Misty Wilburn and Sean Craig.

Nolan was also father to Nicole Holder, Nolan Smith Jr. and Lisa Wells Dickerson. He loved his family.

Nolan was always faithful to the church. He helped renovate Our Savior Church West at 1408 N. Shepherd Street. After a new church was built at 9150 E 10th St, and became Our Savior East, Nolan worked there as an usher, trustee, and the church maintenance man.

Nolan loved kids, and often played Santa Claus at the church.

Felicia, his sister, remembers Nolan was always rough on kids, but it was out of love. “His demeanor came off hard, stern, but he had a heart of gold,” she said. He was the realest and the coolest, the best brother a girl could ever want.

He was a good provider, said daughter Misty, but he was mean and surly. “He was a big ole teddy bear when it came to those grandkids,” she said.

Nolan was always straight forward and blunt.

His daughter Nicole once asked him, “When you die what do you want at your service?” and he replied, “I don’t give a damn. I won’t be there.”

His sister, Ethel recalls his reaction to waking up one morning at her house and finding a pastor in the kitchen blessing the food. Still being half awake, and probably half intoxicated, Nolan stumbled into the kitchen, saw the pastor with his head bowed and thought he was dead with the pastor praying over him.

Nolan loved people and loved entertaining them. Once meeting a person, that person received a nickname from Nolan. He also loved eating good food. Sister Diane recalls Nolan loved having a good time. She remembers him waking up outdoors in the doghouse when he came home after curfew and his mother would not let him in the house. He really had a good time that night.

Sister in law Joyce Sharp called him “the realest person I know.”

He did it his way.

His family includes his wife, Iris; Children: Lisa Dickerson (Isiah) of Phoenix, AZ, Nicole Holder (Charles), Misty Wilburn, Nolan V. Smith Jr., an Sean Craig, who preceded him in death. Siblings include Joyce Diane Patterson (Vernon), Richard (Jacqui), and the Rev. Ewing Thompson (Debra), Peter Thompson (Pamela), Ethel Smith and Felecia Smith-Thompson. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren and four and a half great – grand daughters. He is also survived by a host of niece and nephews and cousins and many friends.