Noble Witherspoon

WITHERSPOON, NOBLE LEE 68 of Sun City, AZ peacefully passed away in hospice care on April 6, 2011. In 1983, Noble had a beautiful near-death experience so he was not afraid. He was born January 4, 1943, in Greenfield, TN, and came to Arizona in 1972 where he met his bride of 35 years, Dolores. His parents, Roy and Mary Estelle Danner Witherspoon, and a sister, Patty Rachels, preceded him in death. He is survived by his loving wife, Dolores (formerly of NJ); sisters Martha and Sue (George Galey), and brothers, James (Brenda) and Ronnie (Mary Lee) Witherspoon, as well as many nieces, grandnieces, nephews and grandnephews. Noble graduated from Greenfield High School in 1961 and attended a semester at University of Tennessee . He enlisted in the Army, was sworn in, and then discharged after one day because of asthma. Before moving to AZ, he was employed as a deck hand on a freight barge that traveled the Mississippi from Memphis to New Orleans; worked as a conductor and brakeman for the Illinois Central Railroad; and as an auto transport driver. His work in AZ included driving for Shamrock Foods, Oroweat, Pep Boys, Willig Freight Lines, Nations Way, Xpedx and Automatic Transmission Exchange. Noble and Dolores shared many interests: including dirt bike riding, sailboating, volunteering at the parishes they attended over the years, cruise ship traveling, horseback trail riding (two 3-day trips to Wickenburg for Gold Rush Days), visiting family and friends, and touring by car throughout the United States. Noble was a member of Teamsters Local 104 and Society of St. Vincent de Paul. He was generous, honest, kind, genuine, humorous, knowledgeable, truthful, handyman, and when you met him you had a friend for life. His experiences would hold your interest for hours. He will be greatly missed. Visitation will be held Tues., April 19, 4 - 7 p.m. (Rosary at 6 p.m.), at Menke Funeral & Cremation Center, 12420 N. 103rd Ave., Sun City. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Weds., April 20, at St. Joachim & St. Anne Catholic Church, 11625 N. 111th Ave., Sun City, followed by brunch in St. Anne's Hall. Interment will be in St. Francis Cemetery, Phoenix. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 11625 N. 111th Ave., Sun City, AZ 85351, or St. Joachim & St. Anne Religious Education, at the same address.