NOWLIN, Thomas Bryant "Tom"

HASKELL, NOWLIN, HANAWALT

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/25/2016 at 22:41:54

BIOGRAPHY ~ THOMAS BRYANT "TOM" NOWLIN
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Thomas Bryant "Tom" Nowlin was born on November 9, 1933, in Santa Paula, California, the son of Robert and Hazel (Haskell) Nowlin. He spent his childhood on the Limoneira Ranch in Santa Paula and graduated high school in 1951. Tom attended Ventura Junior College where he pursued his studies, played football and earned his associate'd degree. He received a football scholarship to Pepperdine University where he received a bachelor's degree in physical education (1956).

Tom came to Graceland in 1956 to study religion, coach football and served as head resident of Gunsolley Hall. Tom coached Graceland's first wrestling team in early 1958 and oversaw that program for its first three seasons. He met Kathy Hanawalt and they were married in 1957.

Tom obtained his master's degree in physical education in 1959 at Indiana University-Bloomington. He returned to Tulare, California where he taught mathematics and coached high school wrestling for the next four years. He returned to Graceland's health and education faculty in 1965, teaching physical education.

Tom earned his doctorate degree in Physical Education from the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley (1974). The Nowlins returned to Lamoni in the fall of 1971, and Tom began his 37-year career teaching physical education and coached football, wrestling, tennis and track.

Over the years, Tom has logged more than 30 season as an assistant coach for the football team, and has served as head coach for baseball and tennis. He began a lengthy tenure as the men's track coach in the spring of 1979.

Tom was inducted into Graceland's Hall of Fame in 2003.

Tom died at the age of 81 at his Lamoni home on August 22, 2015. Interment was made at Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa.

SOURCES:

Edwards, Paul M. "The Hilltop Where. . . An Informal History of Graceland College." Pp. 116, 121. Venture Foundation. Lamoni IA. 1972.

Goehner, David. "The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z." p. 431. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

Thomas Bryant "Tom" Nowlin obituary

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016

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