Nolajean Green

Nolajean Green passed away unexpectedly in her home, on Friday, September 17, 2021 at the age of 91. She was born in East Liverpool, Ohio on January 24, 1930 to George Walter Rankin and Nola B. (Mick) Rankin, who instilled in her Christ-like values and a heart for missions, as members of the Glenmoor (Ohio) United Presbyterian Church.

Nolajean was a retired educator. She was a 1952 graduate of Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio, where her interests included the Athala social club, caravaning (intensive summer ministry training), and Bible studies. She met her beloved husband of 64 years (Starling Green) while at college. After they married, she worked as an Home Economics teacher with the Alliance (Ohio) City Schools for several years and then retired to devote full-time attention to her family and community. She was a member of the Bethany United Presbyterian Church in Alliance and then the Alliance C&MA Church until the family moved in 1976 to Duncan Falls.

In addition to her family, she treasured her relationship with Jesus, God's Word, prayer, singing hymns, missions, Christian community, and her many friends. The annual Beulah Beach Bible and Missionary conference, where all her values are wholeheartedly embraced, held a special place in her heart.

As a member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in both Alliance, Ohio and Zanesville, Ohio, Nolajean served with like-minded women who supported international workers with prayer, letters of encouragement, and other practical needs. She loved to help raise awareness in her church of the need to share the Good News around the world. One of the unique ways she did this was to assemble outfits that represent the countries where this work is being done. During special missions emphasis weeks at the church, volunteers wore the outfits as a visual reminder that the church is having an impact around the world and there is more work to do. Nolajean loved to hear the missionaries speak and corresponded with them by mail so that she would know how to pray.

Nolajean also loved to plan activities and meals for her friends and family (especially her grandchildren), and she loved to make every gathering special, creating many priceless memories and photo albums. She maintained many long-term relationships through letter-writing and email. In particular, she and several college friends stayed in touch via a round-robin letter for over 65 years. She was always up for a trip (especially to see family). One of the earliest was a 1947 cross-country road trip to the west coast and back with four other women in her cousin's new Dodge car.

In recent years, Duncan Falls Baptist Church has been her church home. Nolajean was also a past member of the local Lioness Club and she served in many other roles through the years, including Sunday School teacher, 4-H Club leader, volunteer with The Mailbox Club, choir member and soloist. Until her husband's death in 2017, she was nearly always at his side, supporting him in his many projects. She would half-jokingly lament the fact that her mother insisted that she go to college so she wouldn't have to work so hard on a farm, only to wind up working on the family farm alongside her husband after he became a retired educator. She would not have had it any other way. They were a team!

She will be missed by her three daughters: Sharon Green, Brenda (David) Kuhn, and Gretchen (David) Rouch. She also leaves six grandchildren: Lydia and Elsa Kuhn, Zachary (Jamie) Rouch, Joshua (Kayti) Rouch, Moriah (Jonathan) Roseler, Morgan (Malachi) Nolletti, and three great-grandchildren (Giovanni Rouch, Emma Roseler, and Joelle Nolletti), as well as a nephew, two nieces, and several special cousins. She is predeceased by her husband, her parents, two infant brothers, and an infant son.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent in memory of Nolajean to either the Duncan Falls Baptist Church, 240 Mill Street, P.O. Box 228, Duncan Falls, Ohio 43734 or to Beulah Beach, 6101 W. Lake Rd. Vermilion, OH 44089.

Friends and family are invited to visit with the family at the Farus Funeral Home of New Concord, 63 W. Main Street, New Concord, Ohio, 43762, on Saturday, October 2, 2021 from 11am to 1pm. A memorial service, with Pastor Gerry Wade officiating, will begin immediately following at 1pm at the same location. Nolajean and her husband will be laid to rest in New Concord Cemetery.

The Farus Funeral Home of New Concord  is caring for the family.

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