Last month I lost one of my best friends. Nolan Santy was 87 when he passed, a genuinely good man and one of the nicest guys in the gun world. Maybe in the world, period.
I met him when I was a teenager and he was the master gunsmith at one of the all time great gun shops, Riley’s Sport Shop in Hooksett, NH. I became one of the many shooters he mentored. He invited me to join him at the great old Wilson Hill Pistol Club in Manchester, New Hampshire. I got hooked on competition shooting – bullseye pistol at the time – and stayed hooked for life. A part-time cop, he got me into law enforcement, and the result was 43 years carrying a badge. When he was looking for an apartment, I got him into one at my parents’ apartment building. We became neighbors and besties. He and his wonderful wife Sarah were close friends with me and my then-wife; as time went on, we became godparents to each others’ children. Sarah passed all too soon in 2012, and Dorothy a few years later, but we stayed in touch.
Nolan made fabulous custom rifles, and some of my favorite custom handguns. He had enjoyed retirement for some years before his passing, sharp as a tack to the end.
He leaves daughters Sarah and Rebecca, and son Jonathan. Nolan Santy was the quintessential Gun Guy, and he will be greatly missed.
While sorry to see him go, it’s really good to hear of someone who kept all his marbles to the end.
Sorry for your loss, Mas, friends like that are truly irreplaceable.
It’s one of the saddest parts about growing older. The men who were our mentors are long gone.
The blessing is being able to remember them, and use their wisdom when dealing with our children and grandchildren.
Condolences to you. I lost a father in law who my mentor and father to me for 50 years after my father’s passing. These people are irreplaceable.
Mas,
Sorry for your, and his family’s, loss.
Sounds like a great guy.
Vince
Sorry for your loss.
As so wonderfully stated.in the Wizard.of Oz, paraphrasing a touch,
A man is judged.not.so much.by how he loves others but by how much.he is loved by others.
There is no greater remembrance of someone we love than to share them with others.
I don’t believe we have lost Mr. Santy, only physically, but I do believe and know that Heaven gets a little more special every time someone we.love.goes home.to.Heaven.
Thank you Mr. Shoot for sharing Mr. Santy with us. We all love you and Mrs. Ayoob.
I recall you writing about him decades ago and admiring him and his work from afar….wish I’d known him.