Lieutenant Commander Nolan C. Sowell, U. S. Coast Guard, Retired, 87, of Fernandina Beach passed away Saturday, August 17, 2019 at the Warner Center for Caring.

He was born to Millard F. Sowell and Gussie Exum Sowell on October 18, 1931 in Wausau, Florida.

He started his United States Coast Guard career in 1948 by enlisting as an Apprentice Seaman and received basic training in Mayport, Florida. Nolan rose to the rank of of Lieutenant Commander, an accomplishment he was extremely proud of.

He married Elizabeth Foster in 1959 and they settled in Edison, New Jersey. In 1971, following military retirement at the end of 23 years active duty in the Coast Guard, Nolan began a second career as Regional Engineer for Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He had 4 children with Elizabeth; Tom, Steve Lisa and Kathy. In 1983 he lost Elizabeth to cancer.

In 1989 Nolan met and married Nellie Dublin Babb in Greenwood, South Carolina. Following his 20 year employment at Rutgers and 2 brief periods of residence in Greenwood, South Carolina and Destin, Florida he and Nellie settled in Amelia Island, Florida.

In addition to his parents and Elizabeth, Nolan was predeceased by his children, Tom and Lisa.

He leaves behind his wife, Nell of Amelia Island; a daughter, Kathy (Albert) Erickson of Yulee, Florida, a son, Steve Sowell of Yulee, Florida; 2 step daughters, Joe (Bill) Franks of Greenwood, South Carolina and Laura (Ted) Merchant Ninety-Six, South Carolina; 2 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law Edie Foster and her two children (godchildren of Nolan), Tanya and Scott Foster in New Jersey.

There are no local services scheduled at this time. The family is planning services at Harley Funeral Home in Greenwood SC at a later date.

The family asks that Nolan be remembered by memorials to the Warner Center for Caring of Community Hospice.