Cheney Nolan

Cheney Nolan, 46, died suddenly at home Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019.

Per Cheney's request, there will be no funeral services. Family and friends are invited to pay their respects at the visitation, which will take place 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 20, at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home in Urbandale. Burial will take place in Glendale Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Animal Rescue League. Online condolences may be expressed at www.caldwellparrish.com

He was born Cheney Leroy Burgoyne on Dec. 10, 1972, in Des Moines and was reared by his maternal grandparents on their farm near Afton. After attending high school in Afton, Cheney worked with his grandmother for several years at the Bunn-O-Matic Corporation in Creston, then entered the nursing profession. He always took great pride in his work, especially in nursing, where he became a CNA and devoted most of his career to giving aid and comfort to the elderly and handicapped assisted-living residents in Central Iowa.

Cheney also cultivated a very deep love for animals, both those on the farm as he was growing up and those he adopted as pets in adult life.

Cheney knew at a relatively young age that he was born gay and took pride in his sexual orientation long before it became socially acceptable. His search for a life-long partner ended twelve years ago when he met his future husband, whom he married soon after gay marriage became legal in Iowa.

Survivors include his loving husband William L. Nolan; father Steve McLaughlin; step-father Doug Smith; brothers: Anthony and John Burgoyne; sister Leslie McKnight; aunt Nancy Abbott; and his uncle Darwin West.

Those who preceded him in death were his mother Norma Jean “Nikki” West Smith; grandparents Leroy and Janice West; niece Kasey McKnight, who died in infancy; and his beloved cat “Garfield,” who died just one week before Cheney did.