Lawrence Downing "LD" Nolen, 85, of Norton, Massachusetts, died on August 11, 2026.

He was born on May 20, 1941, in Boston, to Gerard I. Nolen and Marguerite M. (Downing) Nolen, and spent his early years in Jamaica Plain before the family moved to Milton. He was the oldest of five children.

He carried vivid memories of those early years throughout his life: the iceman climbing flights of stairs to their apartment with a block of ice balanced on a leather apron, the sound of horses in the street, and the people and places of his childhood.

He served in the United States Air Force from 1960 to 1964. When LD returned to Milton, he found that a young woman he had known as a girl had grown up. He and Carol married in 1969 and were together for 57 years. No matter how rushed he was, LD never left for work without kissing Carol goodbye. He brought her along on business trips whenever possible, and over the years their travels together took them throughout the United States, including Hawaii, Bermuda and across Europe.

Lawrence started his career in the insurance industry at The Hartford in their CD-15 program, in 1970. His career moved his family to many places in the Northeast as well as Bermuda. He retired as vice president of Orion Capital and president of its subsidiary, Security Reinsurance, in 1999. He did not stay “retired” for long, and continued consulting in the insurance industry, only giving up his license this past May. He was a Freemason, initiated in Bermuda and later a member of a lodge in Massachusetts.

He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston and remained a lifelong student. He was an avid reader, with a particular love for history, politics, spy novels, and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Bernard Cornwell. He was rarely without something to read, whether in a chair on the porch, under an umbrella at the beach, or in the car while he waited for his kids. He was a gifted storyteller who made up bedtime stories for his children, Kimberly and Christian. He was always encouraging his children and grandchildren to read. He relished taking his grandchildren to a bookstore and seeing what they were excited to discover. After retiring, he returned to school and earned a master's degree from Wesleyan University. In 2018, he self-published a detective novel, Over the River.

Lawrence was a man of many accomplishments, but his career was never what mattered most to him. He was a man of deep principles and faith. He believed in doing what was right, even when it was not what benefited him. He loved telling stories from his past, and few things brought him more joy than making someone laugh. He loved being with his children and grandchildren, sharing in their interests and bringing them into his own, and he liked to say that his "livestock" was his greatest achievement. He told his family he was always flying low over the beach, close by whenever anyone needed him. Many years ago, his children were pulled into a dangerous rip current. He did not hesitate to run into the water, saving Christian’s life. Being there when his family needed him was simply part of who he was. He liked to say, “these are the good times” and loved any chance to sit on the porch talking about life, relishing being together.

Lawrence had many interests. He had a great appreciation for music, especially Dave Brubeck and the Eagles. As his children became adults, he joined them at Dave Matthews’ concerts, loving the live experience. He enjoyed fly fishing and was a longtime coin collector. He would dabble at painting with his son-in-law, Karl, marveling at what he himself was able to accomplish. He especially loved his garden, even if the local wildlife ate more of it than he did. He did not mind losing parsley to a swallowtail caterpillar or his green beans to a deer.

He is survived by his wife, Carol (Rasmussen) Nolen of Norton; his daughter, Kimberly Getker and her husband, Karl, and their daughters, Madeline and Winter, who called him Popi; his son, Christian Nolen and his wife, Tina, and their sons, Shane and Justin, who called him Papa; his brothers, William Nolen and Craig Nolen; and his sister, Claire Bousman, along with their families. He also leaves many nieces, nephews, friends, and colleagues who meant the world to him. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Karen.

Visiting Hours August 25th 3 – 6 PM Foley-Cook New Day Cremation & Funeral Care – 126 S Main St., Attleboro, MA 02703

Funeral August 26th 11 AM The Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer – 212 Main St., Foxboro, MA 02035

Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

https://www.stjude.org/