The Honorable Theresa A. Nolan - Obituary

he Honorable Theresa A. Nolan, Circuit Court for Prince George’s County and the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Maryland (Retired) Born on December 10, 1930 in Washington, DC to the late Peter J. and Mary D Hagan, Theresa died on March 22, 2023 in Annapolis, MD. She married Bernard A. Nolan, Jr. on February 3, 1951 and after having eleven children, she attended law school and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Theresa was a trailblazer for women’s liberation in the 1970s. While balancing law school with raising her eleven children, she worked a full-time job as legal secretary to Bob Law and Ron Sinclair. Upon graduating from law school, she opened her own law practice on Main Street in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Throughout her career, Theresa continued to give back to the community by teaching courses at local colleges in Maryland. She became the first female President of the Prince George’s County Bar Association and ultimately closed her practice to serve as a Master of Domestic Relations in the Family Division of the Prince George’s County Circuit Court. From there, she served as a District Court Judge in the District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County. Fulfilling her lifelong dream, the Honorable Theresa A. Nolan was appointed by the Governor of Maryland as a Circuit Court Judge for the Prince George’s County Circuit Court. She retired from the bench at the age of 70 as required by Maryland law, but not ready to retire, she founded her own alternative dispute resolution practice and served as a mediator until the age of 82. Among her many notable professional accomplishments, Judge Nolan would tell you that her true legacy is her ever-expanding family. She was the beloved wife of the late Bernard A. Nolan, Jr., Walter G. Planet and Thomas G. Dugan; mother of Theresa B. (Barry) Davis, Micki Purcell, Joanne M. (Bryan) Kowalczyk, Frances A. (Bernie) McKeever, Bernard A. (Deborah) Nolan, III, Christine M. Nolan, Thomas J. Nolan, Barbara N. (Ted) Kristek, William J. Nolan, Kathleen M. Joseph and the late Patrick J. Nolan; sister of Mary Ellen O’Brien and the late Peter J., Michael, Karl and Thomas Hagan; stepmother of Michael and Christopher Planet, Laura Thompson, Nancy Ruiz, Marybeth (Mark), Kerry, Michael (Lori) and the late Tommy Dugan; grandmother of Matthew Davis, Marie Harbaugh, Jennifer Midgett, Anthony Purcell, Tonya, Deanna and Melissa Kowalczyk, Bernie and Kyle McKeever, Kellie Sutton, Bernard Nolan, IV, Alexandra Jamros, Colleen Shepherd, Thomas and Patrick McCarthy, Erin De Falco, Thomas Nolan, Jr., Micki Maple, Natalie Nolan, Theodore and Caroline Kristek, Sydney Murphy, Shannon Nolan, Theresa Breslin, William Nolan, Jr., Sean, Heather and Bridget Joseph and the late Michael J. Davis; step grandmother of Planet Family Step Grandchildren, Tully, Tripp and Arley Dugan; great grandmother of Kaley, Madison and Michael Davis, Grace and George Harbaugh, Makayla, MacKenzie and Matthew Midgett, Nolan Kowalczyk, Maren and Lillian McKeever, Alexander Jamros, Isla Nolan, Mason and Riley Shepherd, Brayden, Ella and Carter McCarthy, Anna and Adria De Falco, Capri and Cori Nolan, Molly and Jack Whitehead, William, Zelie, Luke and Leonie Breslin, Sean Joseph, Jr., and Annie Joseph, also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Friends are invited to celebrate Theresa’s life at the Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD on Sunday, March 26 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 620 N. Bestgate Rd., Annapolis, MD on Monday, March 27 at 9 am. Interment will follow at Lakemont Memorial Gardens in Davidsonville, MD. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Mike Davis Foundation, 4640 Duley Drive, White Plains, MD 20695 or Walking With Anthony,11693 San Vicente Blvd., #375,Los Angeles, CA 90049. Condolences may be made by using the Memories tab on this page.