Edward O. Noble

Edward O. Noble passed away on the morning of September 26, 2023 peacefully in his sleep. He was 96 years old. Ed was preceded in death by his wife Marjorie Ann Smith and daughter-in-law Thais Noble. He is survived by his son Jim, his son John and wife Kinta, grandson Jason and wife Amy, grandson Jerry and wife Rachel, granddaughter Kristin and husband Patrick, great-grandchildren Preston, Jaron, Lillian and Wyatt, and many other extended family members across Texas.

Ed was born on May 1, 1927 in Liberty Hill, Texas. He grew up on farms in south Texas near Bishop and Kingsville. After graduating from Bishop High School, he attended Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry and Master’s degree in physics.

Ed served as a cryptographer for the Army for the last year of World War II.

He then became a high school science teacher and tennis coach at Pharr San Juan Alamo High School in Pharr, Texas.

He started work at White Sands in 1952 as a physicist, and advanced to the position of Supervisory Physicist Administrator GS-15 in just seven years. During a career that lasted through the end of 1979 Noble was cited for his outstanding work as a scientist, engineer and manager. During the entire time he played a major role in developing and acquiring state-of-the-art instruments to meet the testing needs of the missile range’s customers. When he retired Ed was the Technical Assistant to the National Range Operations Directorate. Under his guidance the missile range developed and published the “Range Users Handbook” which was to become the bible for conducting tests at White Sands Missile Range and other Department of Defense Test Ranges. Ed also helped coordinate a proposal for the NASA Propulsion Systems Development Facility (later known as NASA’s White Sands Test Facility) to be located on part of the White Sands Missile Range property. Finally, Ed helped coordinate another modernization effort when he led the successful endeavor to bring the High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility to White Sands. His career was highlighted by his induction into the White Sands Missile Range Hall of Fame in 1992.

In addition to his distinguished career with White Sands, Noble served as a City Commissioner of Las Cruces from 1958 to 1962 and was Mayor from 1960 to 1962. During his administration he oversaw multiple re-zoning initiatives that allowed for business growth to occur and the City of Las Cruces to become the second largest city in New Mexico. His administration was characterized by the creation of many of the Parks and Recreational Facilites that are still utilized today to include Meersheidt, Young Park, and Lions Park. At a time when relations were sometimes strained between the city and the missile range, Noble is credited with laying the groundwork for a closer and more cordial relationship between the two. In 1970, Lou Henson, athletic director at NMSU asked Ed to help with the school’s tennis program by being the interim head coach and recruiting some good quality players for the team as well as a full-time coach.

Once Ed retired in 1980 he used to always remark that he had never been busier and it took him 20 years to catch-up on all of his projects. He was an avid collector of big band records and digitally re-mastered many old recordings. He will be greatly missed by all of those that knew him.

In lieu of flowers, please provide a donation In Memory of Ed to Folds of Honor at the following link: https://foldsofhonor.org/ Folds of Honor provides life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military and first responders.