Andrew Noble, MD.

May 21, 1921-Feb 28, 2018

“And this our life, exempt from public haunt,

Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,

Sermons in stones, and good in everything.” – Shakespeare

“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing absolutely nothing- Half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” -Grahame

It is with sadness that we say goodbye to our gentle, adventurous father and friend, Andrew Noble, who died peacefully surrounded by family (and the puppy) on February 28, 2018 in San Rafael, CA. Andrew was born on May 21, 1921, in Edinburgh, Scotland: the youngest of five children to Helen and Edward Noble. (Siblings: Patrick Noble, Susan Noble Webb Strean, Butler Noble, and Caroline Noble Jenkins)

He spent his early childhood years in Britain before his family moved back to Red Bluff, California when he was 8. He learned to swim in Mill Creek and as a young boy participated in cattle drives from Tehama County up into the mountains. When he was a teen he observed the building of the Golden Gate Bridge.

He loved family, friends, travel, history, children, dogs, sailing, music, books, literature, arts, languages, and all the wonders of the natural world. He’d never brag to you but his retention of historical events was impressive. (He could name all the kings and queens of England in order in his 90’s.) He traveled extensively throughout his life.

He attended Cheltenham Ladies College Elementary in England, Red Bluff Union High School (1938) before attending Stanford University as an undergraduate (AB Biology 1942). He graduated from Stanford School of Medicine in 1953. His undergraduate studies were interrupted by World War 2 when he served in the Merchant Marine, followed by a period of time in the Navy as a medical officer during the Korean war. While serving on the SS Melville Stone, the ship was torpedoed and sunk off Panama in November 1943. He then served on the SS Gauntlet, SS Henry S. Grove and SS Henry Durant . He was at the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY (He attended with his good friend George Constable. They were both “90 Day Wonders.”) He made at least ten voyages throughout his service.

Andrew was a devoted husband to the wonderful Marilyn Lunde Noble who died in 2000. He is survived by his three children Eric (Lois Rockcastle) James, Molly (Robert Guilbault) and his four grandchildren Henry and Sarah Guilbault, Alea Robinson and Andrew Noble.

He met Marilyn while she was a dietician at Stanford Hospital in San Francisco. He was described, by the other dieticians, as “the medical student with his shirt tails out”. She was referred to “as the blonde in the coffee shop”. He finished his pediatric residency at Highland Hospital in Alameda and at University of California Medical Center in San Francisco.

In 1952, he did his internship at Charity Hospital in New Orleans and Marilyn worked as a dietician. They both remembered long hours of work with little time off. Marilyn often reflected on the severe sunburns they endured on their visit to a beach in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Ever a humane and gentle person, he became even more active in his volunteer work for children and the environment after observing post war devastation in Europe and Japan. He was a volunteer pediatrician on the HOPE ship in Ecuador: he also helped disadvantaged children in Guatemala, Mexico and Nicaragua and maintained a life long interest in the struggles of Native Americans.

He loved trees (especially redwoods) and planted many trees in Marin, West Marin and Tehama counties. He planted 6 inch redwood saplings brought home by his children in kindergarten that are now so big their trunks cannot be encircled by their arms.

He enjoyed many hiking trips in the Sierras and Lassen with his family. He made multiple river trips on the Eel, Russian, Navarro, Trinity, Klamath, and McKenzie rivers. He made two trips with family down the Colorado River that made a lasting impression on him, focusing his interest in conservation of wild rivers and watersheds in the west. He and Marilyn took walking tours and barge excursions around Europe with their dear friends, the Constables, Thornes, Dakins, Taylors and Downings. They also made trips to the Oregon Shakespearean Festival where he and his friend Harry Thorne escaped the plays to fly fish the Rogue River. He made over 30 yearly trips to fish for steelhead with his sons and Harry on the Klamath. Andrew was surrounded by an extraordinary group of friends and neighbors who joined him on many adventures by land and sea: George Constable, Dick Taylor, Dick Dakin, Bob West, Bill Bricca, Norm Cady, Oscar Ortiz, Bob and Joe Alderson, Alf Scott, and Hal Cunningham to name a few.

He practiced pediatrics for 42 years and was on the staff of Marin General Hospital for 18 years. He continued attending grand rounds at Children’s Hospital in SF during his private practice years. He was fluent in Spanish and throughout the latter part of his career practiced at Guadelupe Health Center in Daly City and Mission Neighborhood Health Clinic in San Francisco. He advocated for the dignity of immigrants to this country and was always mindful of those less privileged.

In retirement, he continued flyfishing, travelling, and volunteering. He worked at St Vincent’s kitchen cutting vegetables. He told volunteering high school students that he was on work release from San Quentin.

Andrew Noble will be remembered for his devotion to his family, his generosity, his curiosity and his subtle black humor (which those lucky ones who experienced it, understood completely.)

The family wishes to thank Nahom Gebreslassie, Edgar Hernandez, Andrea Young and the staff at Aldersly for their care of our Dad.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Mid Klamath Watershed Council (mkwc.org), Sudan Medical Relief (sudanmedicalrelief.org), and the SS Jeremiah O’Brien Network for Good (ssjeremiahobrien. org)

A gathering for friends and family is scheduled for June.