Nolan James Danforth Dean

Nolan James Danforth Dean, 24, of Sioux City passed away on Sunday, October 3, 2021. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 8, 2021 at Mayflower Congregational Church, located at 1407 W. 18^th Street, Sioux City. Online condolences may be directed to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Nolan was born on September 16, 1997 to share a birthday with his grandpa Dean. He was a fun loving, and sometimes mischievous, child. He attended Bryant Elementary School, where he was awarded the most lost recesses award in the 3^rd grade for kicking the ball onto the roof. He went on to attend North Middle School and North High School.

Nolan loved riding his bike, playing with the dog, jumping both in and out of windows, out of trees, and breaking things made of glass. His best friends were his siblings: Patrick and Lemon. He enjoyed activities with them, such as leading them astray and giving them something to tattle about, but his favorite was just being with them and making them laugh.

Nolan was loyal, kind, and caring. He was a very talented drummer and spent time at the Sioux City Music Conservatory.

He attended diabetes camp Hertko Hollow in Boone, Iowa, and took part in many fundraisers for Type 1 Diabetes. Nolan worked in food service and retail for some time, and for the last year he dedicated his time to developing a career in covert password exchange technology.

Nolan was an avid member of the Sioux City Audio & Visual Acquisition and Distribution Club, and a founding member of The Bathroom Mongels as well as The Pantry Pansies.

His hobbies included, but were not limited to: drawing, learning to tattoo, designing light sabers, collecting knives, ensuring the nourishment of ceilings at his Grandpa Dean’s house, and making beautiful original wall art using non-traditional mediums. He loved going on nature walks and taking his siblings and mother to places he discovered. He would often be seen in an old blue Buick with the rims spray painted gold, driving around with his dog Tommy in the passenger seat.

He lived in Champaign, Illinois, where he worked in food service, and recently moved back to Sioux City. He loved hanging out with friends, drinking several gallons of Diet Coke daily, making music, and eating at Jim’s Burgers. He had a passion for giving to his family by cooking for them, or buying food for them. He loved family get togethers and hearing stories about himself as a kid.

Nolan’s survivors include his mother, Jen Dean; siblings: Patrick and Lemon Dean; grandparents: Eileen and Charlie Prochelo; grandfather, Gene Dean; his father, James Dean; uncle, Danforth Johnson; aunt, Fiona and her partner, Jess; cousins: Roan and Tristan Johnson; aunts: Amy McNamara; cousins: McKenzie Mitcham and Kiley McNamara; uncle Joe and aunt Lisa Dean; cousin, Dylan Dean; and too many friends to count.

He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Jody Dean; his grandfather, Dan Johnson; and his great-aunt, Sally Deaton.

Nolan fought a long, hard battle with Type 1 Diabetes, mental illness, and addiction. Every day he suffered from these afflictions, and did so with the intent to have joy and laughter. He was intelligent and kind, and lived for his family and friends. His struggle was long and hard, and though he had so much pain and suffering, he is now free from the limits of illness and addiction.

His life was short but honest, and he lived it with everything he had.

There are not enough words to fully describe Nolan and how much he loved and was loved. He will be sorely missed by many that loved him, but he is no longer in pain and suffering.