Obituary of Donald Nolte

Donald E. Nolte, age 90, died November 12, 2011, to continue his spiritual life with Jesus and Andrew and Mary (Fenzl) Nolte, his predeceased parents and Phyllis (Raymond) Hagadorn, his predeceased sister. He is survived by loving wife of 59 years, Anne (Grimm) Nolte; his daughters, Andrea (Bryan) Salisbury of Delanson, Karen (William) Bolle of Tarpon Springs, Florida; and his sons, Bruce Nolte, Gregg (Carolyn) Nolte and Todd (Carolyn) Nolte, all of Colonie. He is also survived by his 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Don was a lifelong Schenectady resident. He attended the former Saint Joseph Academy in Schenectady and then the Christian Brothers Academy in Albany. After graduating from CBA, Don went to RPI in Troy. His studies were interrupted when he enlisted in the Army Air Force at the start of WWII. After the war, he returned to RPI, earning a degree in mechanical engineering. Don worked for GE a total of 39 years in Schenectady, first at the former General Engineering Laboratory and then, for 31 years, at the GE Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. At KAPL, he worked on the design and assembly of nuclear reactors. Don was a "hands-on" engineer. He often traveled to vendors' plants to check on the manufacture of reactor components and tools. He also spent considerable time at the shipyards following the assembly of these reactors in submarines and destroyers. Don was a friendly, happy person. He saw only the good in people. He loved to spend time at his camp on Lake George where he taught his wife and kids to scuba dive, water ski, and snowmobile. Don's other love was his snow skis. He was an avid downhill skier until age 76 when he finally retired his skis. Don raised a family of "do-it-yourselfers." Following his example, they each had their own home improvement projects in which Don always happily got involved. Don was a longtime communicant, first at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Schenectady, and later at St. Madeleine Sophie Roman Catholic Church in Guilderland. Calling hours are on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Daly Funeral Home, 242 McClellan Street, Schenectady from 5 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held Wednesday 9:15 a.m. from the funeral home, then to St. Madeleine Sophie Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Interment to follow at Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery, Niskayuna. In lieu of flowers, at Don's request, please make contributions, in his name, to either St. Madeleine Sophie Church, 3500 Carman Road, Schenectady, New York 12303, or the American Cancer Society , 260 Osborne Road, Suite 1, Albany, NY 12211.