Edmund Randolph Noonan
1937 - 2021
Edmund Randolph Noonan, long-time Greenwich resident, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 28th at the age of 84 following a one-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
Randy, as he was known by all, was born in Mexico City on September 12, 1937 to American parents Alice Frances Jennings and Edmund Burke Noonan. At the age of 12, his family moved to Los Angeles, California, yet he continued to embrace his roots in Mexico and passion for the Spanish language throughout his life.
Randy attended high school at the Harvard School for Boys (now HarvardWestlake School), graduating in 1955. He then studied at UCLA where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. After two years of what Randy himself declared as “having too much fun,” he transferred to Woodbury University in Burbank, earning a B.A. in Accounting in 1959, marking the beginning of his successful career in the field of public accounting. His credentials included Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants as well as the California Society and New York State Society of CPAs.
Upon graduating from college, Randy worked for small and mid-sized accounting companies in the Los Angeles area. He joined Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG) in 1963 where he remained for 35 years until his retirement in 1998. Randy became Partner in 1970, taking him to the firm’s headquarters in New York City for a “twoto-three-year stint.” Well, he never went back West after loving all the East Coast had to offer.
His most gratifying experience with KPMG was as Senior Partner for Latin America. His role involved the complete design and implementation of professional practice policies, training and quality control for the multiple country partnership from Mexico to Argentina. He later supervised and advised on the restructuring of the Latin American firm into individual country practices. He appreciated the opportunity to travel extensively and to once again communicate in the native language he learned as a young boy. Among his many other outstanding accomplishments, Randy served as the Audit Engagement Partner for General Electric Company, one of the firm’s biggest clients at the time. Prior to retirement, he functioned in an advisory capacity in KPMG’s Department of Professional Practice, with his final position as Chair of the Auditing Standards Board.
Randy was predeceased by his childhood sweetheart and beloved wife of 55 years, Susan Hanson, in 2014. Randy and Sue married in 1959 and started to raise a family while living in Santa Monica. In 1970, they moved to Greenwich, Connecticut to a house in the Milbrook community where Randy lived for 51 years. He was proud of his “home on the water,” filled with a half century of happy memories.
Randy was an active member of the Milbrook Club, serving as its dedicated President from 2008-2010. He enjoyed golf, tennis, paddle tennis, and an occasional dip in the pool, and, most notably, the great camaraderie he shared with his many friends. During his retirement years, Randy delightfully participated in advanced Spanish language classes and Spanish book clubs. He was fluent by all means; spoken with ease and beauty but modestly never acknowledged it.
Randy is survived by his four children: Kathleen Liebson, Tamara Collins (sonin-law David), Laura Ford (son-in-law Christopher), and Edmund R. Noonan Jr. He leaves behind his eight grandchildren who affectionately referred to him as “Papa Randy”: Samantha Fulling and Joseph Liebson, Brooke Collins, Mikayla and Leo Ford, and Edmund R. III, Ulla and Brigid Noonan. He also has three great grandchildren: Jayden, John and Kaiya. Randy was predeceased by his brother James Edmund Noonan in 2005.
Devoted, generous, witty, charming and fun, Randy was an exceptional man who will be deeply missed by all. Randy is most certainly dancing with Sue to his favorite Mariachi music in the sky.
The family will host a private Celebration of Life at a future date.