Adrienne Nolen Sudolsky

Adrienne Sudolsky, a longtime resident of Austin, died in hospice care at St. David’s Hospital on August 15 after a long illness. Born into a large family, she cherished her roles of daughter, sister, wife, and mother. She will be remembered by her many friends as a bright and caring person who, even after her cancer diagnosis, continued to embrace life with faith, curiosity, determination, and good cheer. Adrienne was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 1955, the fourth of Jeanne and Claude Nolen’s six children. In 1956, the Nolen family settled in Austin, where Adrienne’s father taught at St. Edward’s University and Adrienne attended St. Ignatius primary school, Travis High School, and Brackenridge School of Nursing, where she earned her R.N. She later completed a nurse practitioner program in women’s health in New Mexico. Adrienne married Mitch Sudolsky, first in a Catholic wedding in Austin and then in a Jewish wedding in New York. Mitch’s job as a social worker took them to Raton, New Mexico; to Trinidad, Colorado, where their children Claire and Aaron were born; and to Puebla, Colorado, before moving back to Austin to be closer to family. In Austin Adrienne worked as a nurse at the People’s Clinic and the School for the Deaf, then as a nurse practitioner with ob/gyn physician Christopher Seeker. Beloved by her patients, she devoted herself to women’s health care, taught Lamaze classes, supported the La Leche organization, worked with teenage mothers, and was a tireless advocate for patient autonomy. Adrienne’s concern for her patients reflected a general concern for people in need. As a devout pro-life Roman Catholic and an active member of St. Theresa Lisieux parish, she was committed to serving “the least among us” as a Christian duty. She prayed the rosary daily, made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, contributed generously to charities, and volunteered with the St. Vincent de Paul charity in providing community outreach to Austin’s poor. In 2007, Adrienne was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and began treatment first in Little Rock, Arkansas, and then under the care of Austin oncologist Laurence Tokaz, whom she came to value as a friend. When her husband Mitch was diagnosed with cancer, Adrienne became his devoted caregiver even as she carried the burden of her own disease. With the help of her family and her faith she lived a full and fruitful life for a decade and a half after her diagnosis. An avid reader, Adrienne loved Jane Austin, devoured classic novels like Don Quixote and Anna Karenina, and was always eager to share her latest book and movie discoveries with friends and family. She loved travel, music, swimming, walking, and all forms of dance, including tap, ballet, and Texas swing. She was an earnest gardener, a lover of birds and flowers, and an accomplished visual artist, creating beautifully colorful artworks in pastel, watercolor, oil, stained glass, and mosaic. Adrienne was predeceased by her husband Mitch and by her parents Jeanne and Claude Nolen. She is survived by her children Claire and Aaron; siblings Cosette, Andrée, Denise, Hunt, and Lisa; and by many members of her extended family. The family invites anyone interested in contributing to Adrienne’s favorite charity to donate to St. Vincent de Paul through her parish church. The check may be made out to St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic Church but the memo line should read “St. Vincent de Paul.” The church mailing address is 4311 Small Drive, Austin, TX, 78731. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, August 18, 2023, at 10 a.m. at St. Theresa Catholic Church. A live stream of the service will appear on the Austin Natural Funerals Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AustinNaturalFunerals a few minutes before 10 a.m. A Facebook account is not required to watch. If a pop-up window appears asking you to log in click "not now" and the live stream will be available for you to watch. If the "not now" button does not appear, scroll down on the page and it will come up for you to select.

Adrienne Nolen Sudolsky

November 26, 1955 - August 15, 2023