1929 - 2026

Billye Jo Harvey Nolan, age 96, died on Saturday, the 16th of May 2026 at the Holly Hall Retirement Community in Houston, Texas. She was born on the 1st of September 1929, in Kaufman, Texas to Charles Ernest and Eula Pearl Key Harvey. She was a graduate of Kaufman High School and Texas Tech University.

She was married to her high school sweetheart, Jack L Nolan, 2nd Lt. US Marine Corps, in June 1950, in Kaufman, Texas. Colonel Nolan was a career Marine and they traveled and lived in many parts of the United States and Far East. They moved to Tyler, Texas in 1970 when Jack took a position with the Tyler Chamber of Commerce.

Billye was a longtime member of the East Texas Embroiderers Guild Chapter in Tyler. She had a fondness for old lace, linens, vintage clothes and antique purses which gave her the opportunity to teach, display and give vintage fashion shows.

One of her other interests was genealogy, researching ancestors, finding new “cousins” and participating in lineage groups. She was Past Regent of the Mary Tyler Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Other memberships included the Charles G. Davenport Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, William Borden Chapter of the National Society of Colonial Dames XVII Century, National Society of the United States Daughters of 1812, Magna Charta Dames, Texas First Families and 1st Families of Tennessee.

Billye Nolan is survived by son Jack Nolan, Jr. of Centerville, Texas; granddaughters: Mira Rosa Mc-Carty of Fort Worth, TX; Katherine Nolan of Santa Fe, NM, Ellen Marie Leathers-Wishart of Austin, TX; great-granddaughter Nora McCarty and great-grandson Evan McCarty of Ft. Worth, TX; nephews: Dr. Guy G. Shaw III and his wife Barbara of San Diego, CA; Robert Nolan Shaw and his wife Sarah of Houston, TX; and nieces: Kathleen Brown and her husband Jim of Clovis, CA, Barbara Freeman and her husband Jim of Tyler; Linda Olds of St. Charles, MO; Paula Pauley and her husband Thomas of Ft. Worth; Eddie Sartain of Kaufman, TX; Robin Shepard and her husband Mike of Mont Belvieu, TX; and Hattie Surles of Baytown, TX.

She was preceded in death by the love of her life, Jack L Nolan, (LTC Retired); her parents: Charles Ernest Harvey and Eula Pearl Key Harvey; brother James Edward Harvey; daughters: Nancy and Nina Nolan; granddaughter Nancy Nolan; niece Nancy Nolan Cook of Kaufman, TX; Richard Olds, husband of niece Linda Olds and Thomas Surles, husband of niece Hattie Surles.

Honorary Pallbearers are Zayd Ghazzawi, Buddy Hatcher, Steve Kennedy, Richard Lottmann, Truman Mitchell, Ed Schaded and Shannon Strickland.

Pallbearers are Jay Garrett Sr., Jay T. Garrett Jr., Marshall Grice, Nate Henley, Justin Laird and Tommy Surles.

Billye’s family would like to thank the staff of Holly Hall Retirement Community, Friendly Faces Senior Care and Houston Hospice for the compassionate loving care of Billye during her last six years.

Friends are cordially invited to greet the family during a visitation at half past nine o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 10th of June, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering drive in Houston, where the funeral service is to commence at half past ten o’clock.

The Rite of Committal is to follow, via an escorted cortège, at Houston National Cemetery.

Per Billye’s request, in lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in her honor may be directed to Holly Hall Retirement Community, 2000 Holly Hall Street, Houston, TX 77054, or by visiting www.hollyhall.org/giving, or to the charity of one’s choice.

Please visit Billye’s online memorial at GeoHLewis. com where memories and words of comfort and condolence may be shared with her family.