Joe Lee Nole

"The Nashville Handshake" is a term used to describe a person who will look beyond you to see if there’s someone more important. It is not a term that would have ever been used to describe Joe Lee Nole. When he was with you, he was fully present. He looked you in the eyes, gave a firm handshake, tested your strength, and applauded your wisdom and knowledge. Everyone adored him!. He was the center of his family. He was the one who knew the right answer, who knew how to fix everything, and who had your back no matter what decision you made. He loved motorcycles, fast cars, boats, horses, watching the deer play in his backyard, his precious dog Mollie... but most of all, his family and friends. He was also very fond of food!

Joe Lee Nole was born November 11, 1937 to Doyle and Mary Nole of Lewisburg, Kentucky. Joe graduated from Lewisburg High School in 1956, when a high school education had more value than most college degrees. He began his work at the service station in Lewisburg, and from there took a job at the Red Kap sewing factory in Russellville. His employment at Red Kap would lead him to much greater things. He moved his family to Franklin, in order to work for Hayes Manufacturing Company, and when it became Haywood, moved his family to Alamogordo, New Mexico to work as the head of maintenance. A year later, he was offered the manager position for Haywood’s plant in Chanute, Kansas. After four years, Joe went on to manage a much larger factory in Miami, Oklahoma. He left Oklahoma to become a mechanical engineer for Genesco in Nashville. He finished his career at Long Foundation Drilling in Hermitage. While his life was not defined by the positions he held, he loved to work, and dreamed about it until the end.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Eugene and Russell, and sister Inez.

Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Doris Ann; daughters, Freda (Mark) Pogue of Greenville, Kentucky, Fadocia Annette Nole (Steve) Hall of Ashland City, Tennessee; stepdaughters, Darlene (Rick) Heflin of Auburn, Kentucky and Vanessa (Jeremy) Haley of Smyrna, Tennessee; sisters, Gracie Kirby of Louisville, Kentucky, Paula (Norman) Embry of Okeechobee, Florida, Doris Givan of Louisville, Kentucky and Anita Short of Atlanta, Georgia; eight grandchildren, Jason Heflin (Dawn), Shandiece Heflin-Sharp, Marla Jo Divine (Brandon), Karrie Webb, Alex Pogue (Mackenzie), Jarrick Heflin (Kailyn), Ezekiel Hall, and Dalton Haley; and seven great-grandchildren, Kinsey, Dixon, and Kelsey Sharp, Jocelyn Webb, Lucian Heflin, Graysen Divine, Carolyn Heflin and Harper Heflin is on the way.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Joe's honor to the Volunteer Equine Advocates in Gallatin, TN. https://veatnhorserescue.com