BERNARD M. NOLIN – BURLINGTON, SAN DIEGO, ST. ALBANS - 81, passed away peacefully at the Franklin County REHAB Center on SEPT. 2, 2011 while surrounded by his loving family. Bernie was born on Oct. 15, 1929. He is survived by his wife, Helen (Gamelin) Nolin, his daughter Judith A. Nolin and fiancé Steve Barrett, sons Bernard (Drew) A. Nolin, Matthew W. Nolin and wife Terri L. (Gratton) Nolin, and Daniel C. Nolin and wife Julie M. (Gratton) Nolin. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Jennifer C. Gerace, Benjamin M.Gerace and his fiancé Angela Chicoine, Kyle M. Nolin, Hannah L. Nolin, Amy L. Nolin, Ryan D. Nolin and his fiancé Jessica Cadieux, Chelsea M. Nolin, and Alison M. Nolin. Bernie also has two great grandchildren, Tyson A. Monaghan and Sophia S. Manewich.
As a teenager he was a local freelance photographer while also working at LaPierres Art Shop located on Church St. in Burlington, Vermont. Upon graduation from Cathedral High School in Burlington, he served in the U.S. Navy for five years. He met and married Helen Gamelin from Winooski, Vermont on September 4th 1954 in Inglewood California. They remained in California to start a family. He began working for North American Aviation in the photo lab. Soon after, he studied electronics while working for Northrop Aircraft performing calibration work on experimental aircraft. In 1957 they moved to San Diego where he worked for General Dynamics. He is most proud of his work here where he contributed to the design and test of the on the guidance system electronics for the Mercury space project. The Mercury project was the first manned space flight by John Glenn in 1962. In 1968 he began working for the US Government on North Island Naval Air Station servicing shipboard instrumentation.
Missing home and with the belief that Vermont was a better place to raise children, he relocated his family to Vermont. He and his family began construction on their Westford Vermont home in 1971. He began working for New England Telephone Company in Burlington, Vermont. In 1975 he began working for General Electric Armament Division in Burlington, Vermont. While at GE he worked between the main plant and the Underhill range performing instrumentation testing on the guns during live fire. He enjoyed working at the Underhill range for many years.
Bernie retired from General Electric in 1989. He worked part time repairing and setting up electronic ski binding calibration equipment for Vermont Ski.
Throughout his life he continued with his love of photography, built many of his homes and furniture, and was a perfectionist in his work. He cherished time with his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He will be remembered for his generosity and love for his family and life. A mass celebrating his life will be held on September 6th at 10:00AM at the St. Francis Xavier church located in Winooski, Vermont. The Nolin family would like to thank the entire staff of the Franklin Country Rehab Center for the wonderful support and superb care they provided to Bernie and the entire family. In lieu of flowers, you may send a donation in his memory, to his favorite charity “Food for the Poor” www.foodforthepoor.org.