Noel Robert Wescombe

(Age 63)

Our beloved Noel Robert Wescombe peacefully slipped away on February 28, 2017, surrounded by his family at home, following a 2 1/2 year journey with brain cancer.

Noel was born on December 28, 1953, to Eric and Bernice Wescombe in Inglewood, California. His entire childhood was spent in Torrance, California. Noel’s love of nature grew through camping trips in the Sierras with the YMCA. A natural athlete, Noel was captain of the football team at Torrance H.S. his senior year. Living close to the beach, Noel also loved to body surf, sail, and play sand volleyball. In his yard was his “thinking tree”, which as a young boy he often climbed to dream and imagine.

Noel majored in biology at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo with initial thoughts of becoming a pediatrician. His interest and giftedness in teaching children grew during this time, so upon graduation, Noel took a position teaching elementary grades at a Christian school in Crescent City, California. That inspired him to pursue more education, receiving a Masters in Child Development at UC Davis in 1982.

Through mutual friends, Noel met Cathie Faasch in Portland in 1982. They fell in love immediately, marrying that same year, and continued to be soul mates these past 34 years. After several years of infertility, Noel and Cathie’s lives were exceedingly enriched with the adoption of their daughters from India, first Meghan, and later, Natalie. Throughout all their years of growing up, Noel was their play buddy, advocate, listener, and safe haven.

Following several more years of teaching in the Portland area, Noel and family relocated to California where Noel pursued a PhD in Human Development at UC Davis. Noel then embarked on the second phase of his teaching career, as professor in the psychology department at Whitworth University in Spokane. He taught there for 20 years until his illness forced early retirement. Favorite courses to teach were human development, biological psychology, introduction to psych and statistics.

To all who knew him, Noel was a kind, caring and encouraging person. Noel’s students knew his office door was always open to them; that lectures would be fresh and engaging. Colleagues knew him as a supportive mentor and an innovator. Extended family and friends loved him dearly. Noel will be greatly missed, but his legacy will continue.

Noel is survived by his wife Cathie Wescombe; daughter Meghan Wescombe; daughter Natalie Wescombe and son-in-law Chris Webber; brother Glenn Wescombe; several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law; three beloved nieces and one beloved nephew.

A memorial service will be held at Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church on Saturday, April 8, 2017 at 11:00 am with reception following. Memorial contributions can be made to the Whitworth General Scholarship Fund at Whitworth University, Dept. of Institutional Advancement, 300 W. Hawthorne Rd., Spokane WA 99251.

Arrangements under the direction of Hazen & Jaeger Funeral Home, Spokane, WA.