The days are long but the years are short... today... May 26th, 2020

So I am fast forwarding to today... It has been 19 days since Josh passed away. I am still in denial. Firmly and steadfastly in denial. My ex-husband cannot be dead. My kid's dad cannot be dead. But he is and I have a stupid damn death certificate to prove it. He is supposed to be here to help me raise these kids. He is supposed to be here for all of the milestones that our babies are going to encounter growing up. He is... he is... he is... and he is not. My heart knows that he is gone and my head cannot wrap my brain around it. We didn't talk every day but we talked often. We made decisions about our children together. We parented together. He was my best friend for 13 years and then he wasn't... and we were both accepting of that. We didn't make a good team as a couple but we made a great team as parents. I lost my teammate and it hurts. 

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face, 

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again, 

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

💚

Joshua Joe Nolen

11/5/1979 - 5/7/2020

Joshua J. Nolen, 40, of Mansfield, passed away on Thursday, May 7, 2020. 

Joshua was born on November 6, 1979.  He was a big, bearded man with the heart of a teddy bear who was instilled with a love of reading by his mother that kept him on a continuous search for knowledge all his life.  Joshua also enjoyed playing video games, singing, and playing with his children.  He will always be remembered for his warm bear hugs and infectious smile.  

He is survived by his mother, Cindy Atherton; two children, Jackson Glen Nolen and Jenna Elizabeth Nolen; sister, Rebecca Shoup; brother-in-law, Tim Shoup; niece, Lillian Rose Shoup; uncles, Danny (Sharon) Thompson, Randall (Kathy) Thompson, and David Thompson, who taught him to be an avid hunter and fisherman; aunts, Carol (Charles) Brock and Kimberly (Andrew) Corwin, who attended all of his baseball games; his best friend, Roland (Jessica) Flick, whom he loved as a brother; his much loved cousins, Michelle Prichard, Danny Thompson, Jr., April, Jacob, Samuel, and Abrahm Thompson, Brian and Jonathon Clay, Jason and David Nolen, Anna Rosier, Holly Singer, Elias Nolen, Heidi Bechtler, Megan Eshelman, Brad Silverwood, Heather Cleveland, Justin Lawhorn, as well as their spouses and children; and his grandmother, Juanita Nolen.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Rachel Nolen; his grandparents, Charles Nolen and Glen and Glenna Thompson; his step-father, Rufus Neal Atherton; and his uncle and aunt, James and Charlotte Nolen.

No services are scheduled at this time.