John T. Noblin

John Thomas Noblin passed into the loving arms of his Lord on November 16, 2019, after a long and brave battle with cancer. J.T. was born on December 19, 1940, in Jackson, to Dr. William Earl Noblin, Jr. and Marion Hickey Noblin. He graduated from Murrah High School in 1958, Millsaps College in 1962 with a B.A. in Political Science, and the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1964. He was married to Larry Ford Noblin, originally of Taylorsville, Mississippi, for 57 years at the time of his passing. He was the father of two children: John (Jill) and Elizabeth, all of Jackson.

An attorney by training, J.T. wore a variety of hats throughout his career, which started with a brief stint at the Heidelberg, Woodliff, and Franks firm immediately after Law School. He left the private practice of law to join the Mississippi Workers' Compensation Commission in 1968, beginning a nearly three-decade run in the area of Workers' Compensation law. He served first as an Administrative Judge and later as Chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission from 1975-1980. During this time he also served on the Executive Committee of the Southern Association of Worker's Compensation Administrators and as its President in 1974. He served on the Executive Committee of the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions from 1973-1980, as its President in 1975, and it's General Counsel from 1981-1990.

In 1981, he returned to private practice, founding the law firm of McCoy, Wilkins, Noblin, Anderson, and Stephens, and practiced there until his appointment in 1990 as Clerk of the Federal Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, where he served for twenty-three years until his retirement in 2013. During his tenure as a clerk he oversaw the construction of three new Federal courthouses, led the court's recovery from at least two hurricanes and countless other internally-generated soakings from the decrepit plumbing in the old courthouses, and in the process became what Judge William Barbour described as "the best Clerk in the country."

A true gentleman, J.T. always made sure others were taken care of, included, or having fun before he took care of himself. He had a true servant's heart and was a fixture at the Belhaven Street entrance to First Presbyterian Church, where he elevated the job of greeter to a fine art. He was the ultimate behind-the-scenes guy who truly took pleasure in seeing others get credit, though often he may have deserved most of it himself. He was a wonderful leader and supervisor for his employees, even if he did occasionally poke fun, once wishing a Catholic employee "Happy Reformation Day".

His creativity and sense of humor were the stuff of legend, skills he honed from his childhood days. His classroom performances for classmates at Duling School often garnered him a solo encore for his teachers after school but he was undeterred. He went on to take the stage regularly in productions at Murrah High School and Millsaps College. His artistic ability stayed under the radar for the most part, but surfaced occasionally, most notably during a college internship with a local ad agency, where he created the original Redd Pest Control logo and wrote their "Call the Redd Man" jingle that is still used by the company today.

J.T. was an avid sports fan, following most any type of motorsports, golf, tennis, and his beloved Ole Miss Rebels through thick and thin. All those, however, took a backseat to any team for which his granddaughters played or his daughter coached, and they provided him years of enjoyment with their athletic ability. He spent many hours on soccer fields, in gyms, and at track meets across the state, cheering them on.

True to his behind-the-scenes personality, he worked quietly but tirelessly on a number of local projects and causes. He was instrumental in the creation of the Bridges Tennis Center and the Fondren Renaissance Association, and he launched the first youth soccer team in Jackson in 1976. He also served terms on the boards of directors of the River Hills Club, Jackson Academy, and Jackson Prep and as President of the Board of Deacons at First Presbyterian.

He leaves behind his wife of 57 years, Larry, his children Elizabeth and John, granddaughters Keavy Noblin and Clayton Noblin, and countless friends and family members whose lives just won't be quite as funny as they once were.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 19th, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and again on Wednesday, November 20th, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. A memorial service will follow at 1:00 p.m. All services will be held at First Presbyterian Church. A family graveside service will also be held on Wednesday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Twin Lakes Conference Center, Mission First, or the First Presbyterian Church Deacons' Fund.

The family is grateful for the wonderful care provided over many years by the Mayo Clinic and Baptist Hospital, including Dr. Tammy Young, Dr. Woodie Sistrunk, Dr. Bryan Clay, Dr. Jason Murpy, Dr. Maria Rappai, all the great nurses and medical professionals they experienced.