October 2, 1946 – March 3, 2017
FRISCO – IreneClare Nolan, 70, of Frisco, N.C. passed away on Friday, March 3, 2017at Norfolk General Hospital in Virginia after a respiratory illness.
Irene was the Editor and Co-Owner of The Island Free Press, an online newspaper that covers Hatteras and Ocracoke islands.
Aftermoving to Hatteras Island in 1991, she married C.A. Boxley of Frisco,who preceded her in death. Irene became the Editor of The IslandBreeze, a new monthly publication on the islands. For 16 years, shehelped build the paper into a popular community publication, focused onlocal news and activities.
In2007, she and her business partner, Donna Barnett of Hatteras, launchedThe Island Free Press, the first and only online newspaper to cover thesouthern Outer Banks. The newspaper quickly became an importantcommunity resource for residents and visitors.
Irenehad many friends on the island, and she has served as a volunteer fornumerous community organizations and non-profits, including theHatteras Island Cancer Foundation. She was a good humored,generous woman who always maintained her journalism principles andnever held a grudge. She respected people, and they respected her.
Irenewas a graduate of the Indiana University School of Journalism, whereshe also majored in Spanish. She worked as a journalist herentire adult life.
In1969, The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., hired her as a clerk inthe women’s department. She quickly moved up the ranks, working as afeatures writer and eventually becoming one of the first femalenewspaper managing editors in the country. In that position, sheoversaw a staff of more than 200 and managed a $13 million newsdepartment budget.
Itwas under her direction in 1989 that The Courier-Journal staff wasawarded the Pulitzer Prize, journalism’s highest honor, for thenewspaper’s coverage of a tragic school bus crash that claimed 27lives.
Ireneregularly broke ground as a female journalist during her career. Shewas a news junkie to the core, always on top of breaking news storiesand the drama of politics.
Irenewas born on October 2, 1946 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and she was the daughterof the late Raymond Jerome Clare Jr. and Jean Rodriguez Clare.
Ireneis survived by her two children, Kathleen (Fred) Andres of Louisville,Ky. and J. Christopher Nolan of Lexington, Ky.; and nine grandchildren,Clare, Molly, Parker, Matthew, Caroline and Lilly Andres, and Emma,Abby and Jack Nolan. Also surviving are her siblings, Ray Clare ofCarmel, Ind. and Kathy (Grayson) Winterling of Easton, Md; nieces andnephews, Angela (Gabe) Revell, Emily Clare, Bryan Dee and Megan (Kevin)Fisher; and several great nieces and nephews.
She also dearly loved her best friends, Charlie and Daisy, her loyal dogs who kept her company in her later years.
ACelebration of Life service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, March6, 2017 at Our Lady of the Seas Catholic Church in Buxton, N.C., withthe Rev. Toni Wood and the Rev. Pam Stoffel officiating. ACelebration of Life will also be held in Louisville, Ky. (detailspending).
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation, PO Box 442, Hatteras, N.C. 27943, www.hicf.org.
Twiford Funeral Home, Hatteras is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.twifordfh.com.
Click here to view an additional obituary from the Courier Journal in Louisville, Ky.
