Janice Messmer Nolan

Janice Messmer Nolan, 89, died in Lexington, Kentucky on August 26, 2026. Born to Charles and Ruby L. Messmer in Falmouth, KY. Janice was the eldest of ten children. She graduated from Butler High School in Pendleton County, KY and worked at the soda fountain at Rule’s Drugstore in Falmouth to put herself through nursing school at the Sisters of Nazareth’s St. Joseph’s School for Nursing in Lexington, KY. She was proud to be awarded the Best All-around Nursing Student in 1958. She met the love of her life, Tom Nolan, while he was attending the University of Kentucky. They celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary last fall.

As a Registered Nurse she worked at Ephraim McDowell Hospital in the OB department while raising their four children. Later in her career she taught at the Danville School for Practical Nursing. Janice loved the church of her childhood, St. Frances Xavier Catholic Church in Falmouth, KY. She has been a dedicated member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church since moving to Danville as a newlywed in 1959. She was a Eucharistic Minister serving the sick & shut-in for 35 years while serving on many committees as well as caring for the altar linens, crocheting prayer shawls and attending Bible studies. She and Tom faithfully attended Masses through the week as well as on Sundays until recently. After moving from their farm on Lexington Road, she enjoyed riding around in their golf cart through their neighborhood, reading on her e-reader, growing beautiful flowers, keeping up with family on social media and praying the rosary and other devotionals daily. Her faith was an inspiration to all who knew her as she dealt with debilitating arthritis and vision loss in her later years.

Survivors include her beloved husband, Thomas O. Nolan, Jr. and her four children: Karen (John) Taylor, Ann (Billy) Yeager, Mark (Melissa) Nolan and Matthew (Ronda) Nolan. Nine grandchildren: S. Nolan (Emily)Taylor, Scott Taylor, William “Trey” and Andrew Yeager, Madelaine (Bob) Sindorf and Ross (Annie) Nolan, and Emma Nolan, and Sarah (John) Bivins and Laura Nolan. She was blessed with four great-grandsons Luke and Thomas Taylor, Nicholas Sindorf and Charles Bivins, three great granddaughters, Lainey & Jolene Nolan and Monica Bivins and upcoming great-granddaughter Sophia Janice Bivins arriving in 2027. She is also survived by her sister, Myra (Jim) Buckley, her brothers, Charles, Joe (Keith), Tony (Hazel), Chris (Joan), Tim (Terri), and John (Jackie) Messmer and many nieces, nephews, & cousins. She was predeceased by her parents, her in-laws T. O. and Ann Donahue Nolan, her brother-in-law, Jimmy Nolan, her sister Diana White Niazi, her brother, Larry Messmer and her sister-in-law, Karen Messmer.

Visitation will be held on September 1st, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 117 W. Main St., Danville, KY. The Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 12:05. Burial will be at Bellevue Cemetery in Danville, KY. Suggested expressions of sympathy include: Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Danville, KY