Noble A. Phillips

Noble was born at Ancon Hospital in Ancon, Canal Zone. He was born the same year of the historic grand opening of the Panama Canal.

Noble attended the Canal Zone schools and graduated from Balboa High School in 1933. Noble was known as Buddy growing up and all through his life in the Canal Zone. After he retired to California, his new friends called him by his given name, Noble. Life growing up in the Canal Zone was wonderful. He learned to hunt in his early teens. He joined a hunting club at the age of 15. The club would go hunting over night in the jungles and up in the interior of Panama on weekends. They would mainly hunt pig and deer bringing home 4 or 5 each trip to be shared among friends in the community. He belonged to the club for about 5 years. He continued hunting on his own for many years, just not regularly. He enjoyed deep sea fishing and fishing in the local rivers. It was a way of life for Noble for many years. He also taught his sons how to hunt and fish. Noble had a talent for music and during his high school years he had his own orchestra, The Phillips Orchestra, consisting of about 7 musicians from his high school. He could play the saxophone and the drums. Noble would order the sheet music once a month from New York City so the orchestra could learn and play the latest songs. The orchestra would play at the high school and local community dances.

Noble started a four year apprenticeship program with the Panama Canal Company in January of 1934 as a coppersmith in the sheet metal shop. Upon graduating, he married his high school sweetheart, Marion Hutchison on January 8, 1938 and celebrated 51 years of marriage together. He and Marion had dated for 8 years before their marriage, the 4 years of high school and 4 years of his apprenticeship. He wanted to have a good job before he committed to a life with Marion. They started their family with their first born son, Richard followed by Douglas and a daughter Susan. They lived on the Pacific side of the Canal Zone for 7 years before moving to the Atlantic side in 1945. Noble had a job transfer at this time. Besides working, he enjoyed hunting in the jungles of Panama and fishing down the Chagres river with family and friends. Sport activities were golf and bowling on the local leagues. He was an active member of the Elks Lodge of Margarita, Canal Zone, the Abou Saad Shriners of Cristobal, the Jesters, and the Masonic Lodge of Cristobal, Canal Zone.

In the 1940's, Noble built a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom house on a beach front lot in Santa Clara, Panama overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I say overlooking because the lot was on a small cliff. He had to build a walkway down to the beach area. He always would tell of the contract he had with the builder at the time. There were no contract papers, it was written on the bottom of a ping pong table. I will pay you so much when this is competed and more when the next phase was completed till the house was built. Noble's father had retired and was living in Panama at the time. He bought the property adjacent to Noble's and had 5 cottages built. They became known as the Phillips Cottages. Many Zonians and Panamanians would come there to stay for a vacation at the beach. It was a very popular place to enjoy the beach and the interior of Panama. As a family, we have many wonderful memories of staying there on holidays. Both properties were sold in 1961 to a Panamanian family.

Noble worked in the sheet metal shop of the Mt. Hope Industrial Division as a coppersmith. Later he became a planner/estimator, then chief planner/estimator. The job of planner/estimator brought travel into his life. He traveled to South American countries on business trips. As a planner/estimator, his job would be to plan the repairs to damaged ships and estimate the cost of repairs. He retired as the Assistant Production Superintendent of the Industrial Division in the Mt. Hope office in January of 1972.

Upon retirement, he and Marion moved to California to be near his parents and sister. Noble's parents were living in Leisure World of Laguna Hills. They were very impressed with Leisure World and all the amenities so they bought a home and moved in September of 1972. They were both avid golfers, bowlers, belonged to a bridge group, and were active in many of Leisure World's activities. Noble was in charge of many bowlers trips over the years to Las Vegas, Reno, and Laughlin for bowling competitions and to enjoy the shows and the casinos. Noble was an active member of the First Christian Church of Laguna Woods and served on the board for several years. He became passionate about making Native American Indian jewelry. Noble had his own jewelry making shop in his home and created many beautiful necklaces, rings, bracelets, and bolos out of silver and turquoise for family and friends. Each piece is uniquely different.

Between the years of 1972 and 1989, Noble and Marion would share many travel adventures together. They went on several cruises, a golfer's trip to Australia and New Zealand, the Calgary Stampede in Canada, and many trips around the United States. In 1987, Marion was diagnosed with a brain tumor and passed away on January 31, 1989.

In 1991, Noble married Dottie Holmes. He met Dottie on a bowler's trip to Las Vegas. Dottie was an avid golfer and exceptional bowler. They spent many years together enjoying golf, bowling, cruising, and the trips with the bowler's league to Las Vegas, Reno, and Laughlin. In 2001, they moved into Freedom Village. They were very happy with this choice. Noble participated in the putting contest at Freedom Village for many years. He was the putting champ for a few of those years. He enjoyed wining the Hershey's chocolate bars and always had a stash of them in his apartment. In March of 200?, Dottie passed away. Dottie has two daughters Carol and Sherry.

Noble met Marie Peterson on a casino bus trip a few years ago and they became great friends. Noble and Marie played bridge with the group at Freedom Village till Noble's eye sight became to poor to see the cards. Noble and Marie were always together and looking out for each others best interest. They looked forward to Richard and Sue or Sherry and Bob coming for visits. They knew we would be taking them out for lunch and dinner. The best part of the visits would be going to the casino for the day. Noble felt that over the years of going to the casinos be broke even. He would win some and lose some, but always had a good time and a great lunch of egg drop soup and a sandwich.

Noble said that moving into Freedom Village was one of the best decisions he made. He felt the staff was excellent and he knew he would always be very well taken care of here.

Noble is predeceased by his first wife and second wife and his son Douglas.