In Memoriam: Rev. Doris Nolan
We pray for the family and friends of Rev. Doris Nolan, who passed away peacefully on January 25, 2025, at her home in Simi Valley, California. She was surrounded by the love of her family and friends.
Pastor Doris was a beloved servant of God, dedicating her life to ministry and compassion. She faithfully served several congregations in Arizona, ministered as a hospice chaplain, and provided transitional leadership in our Grand Canyon Synod. Even in retirement, her passion for serving the vulnerable never wavered. Pastor Doris moved to Simi Valley to live with her daughter and family, where she became an active member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks, California.
In a poignant testament to her faith and love, Pastor Doris led her son’s wedding service in her backyard just days before her passing, a prayer she had asked God to fulfill. Her life was marked by her strong faith in Jesus, and she lived with the assurance of God’s grace, mercy, and promise of eternal life.
We give thanks for the many ways Pastor Doris impacted lives, from her ministry in Arizona to her care for the vulnerable in communities around the world. Her legacy is one of generosity, kindness, and a deep trust in God’s promises.
Pastor Doris is survived by her three children and extended family across the country. We also remember and give thanks for her many friends and caregivers who surrounded her with love in her final months.
Memorial gifts in Pastor Doris’s honor may be directed to ELCA World Hunger, Lutheran Disaster Response, Global Refuge, or Lutheran World Relief.
We will share details of memorial services as they become available.
“O God of grace and glory, we remember before you our sister, Rev. Doris Nolan. We thank you for giving her to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see that death has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord, Jesus Christ, so that we may live in confidence and hope until, by your call, we are gathered to our heavenly home in the company of all your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.”