Clyde C. Nobles Jr. of Umatilla went to his eternal home in heaven on Sept. 21, 2023 at the age of 89 after a courageous and miraculous battle against multiple health challenges.
He was born on Feb. 21, 1934 in Enterprise.
Clyde was born in Enterprise at the home of his grandmother, Lovell. He was named Clyde after his father and the doctor who assisted at his birth. Clyde’s full name is Clyde Cleo Nobles Jr. On his first day of school in Enterprise, his classmates called him Cleo until he made it very clear that his name was Clyde and from that day on, his classmates and others always called him Clyde. At 8 years of age, Clyde remained behind in Lostine near Enterprise to care for the homestead and dairy cattle by himself while his parents and younger siblings moved the family, furniture and personal possessions in the cattle truck to Hermiston to relocate the farm, build fences and barn for the cattle, and create a home for the family to live in. Clyde joined the family in Hermiston and attended school in Umatilla where at age 13, he met the love of his life, Betty. When he saw Betty on horseback he was smitten, so he did the only thing he could think of at the time to get her attention. He threw an apple at her and with his crack shot arm, knocked Betty off her horse.
Clyde’s family opened the first grade A dairy in Hermiston. His first job was as a cream taster to determine the grade of the cream. Clyde worked the dairy farm morning and night every day while attending school and participated year round in varsity sports at Umatilla High School, where he graduated in 1952. Clyde was inducted into the Umatilla High School Hall of Fame for his achievements and was very active in the Umatilla High School Alumni Association.
Clyde served in the Air Force and was stationed in Germany before returning home to marry his lifelong sweetheart, Betty, before moving to Corvallis to attend and graduate from Oregon State University in 1960, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Clyde and Betty had their three children while attending Oregon State University and then enjoyed traveling across the United States, living in cities from the West Coast to the East Coast while working for Honeywell Aerospace Corporation, until finally settling in Bellevue, Wash., a suburb near Seattle. The two years in Bangor, Maine and the 18 months on Long Island, N.Y. were some of his fondest memories. Clyde worked as an engineering manager for the Boeing Company for over 25 years, overseeing teams designing airplanes. Clyde was an executive and had full staff at six separate Boeing Company offices to oversee his design teams. During his career, Boeing contracted with NASA for Clyde and his design team to create and implement innovative programs including the microwave landing system and automatic flight controls. Clyde’s work included trips to Japan, Hong Kong, Pakistan and Montreal, Canada.
Clyde and Betty enjoyed investing in real estate in the Seattle area and breeding, training and racing thoroughbred racehorses. Clyde trained the racehorses and spent hours every night riding them after working all day at Boeing. Clyde and Betty enjoyed repeated trips to the winner’s circle at Longacres Racetrack, Emerald Downs Racetrack and other racetracks in Oregon and California. Clyde also enjoyed philanthropic work and he and Betty and their three children worked as a team volunteering throughout their lives, actively promoting and working tirelessly supporting the Northwest Kidney Foundation, Easter Seals Society, Masonic Foundation, Shriners Hospital, Job’s Daughters, Beta Chi Chapter, Epsilon Sigma Alpha and many other charitable organizations. A fond memory every year, when the family volunteered for a fundraiser for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research/Northwest Kidney Center’s annual Halloween Haunted House built by Beta Chi Chapter, is that Clyde would volunteer every night and dress up as Frankenstein, nailing 2x4s to his boots to raise his already tall 6-foot-4-inch frame to make a more believable and frightening Frankenstein.
After retiring from Boeing in 1990 at age 56, Clyde returned to his roots in Umatilla to be near his family. With Betty at his side, Clyde bought property, cleared the land and began farming at his home in Umatilla. Clyde raised cattle and farmed alfalfa, alternating with watermelon and other crops. Clyde and Betty were both active in the community and began investing in real estate in both Hermiston and Umatilla, which provided homes for many families living in the area. Clyde presided many times as worshipful master of the Tuscan Lodge #136 in Umatilla, was a member of Scottish Rite, presided as worthy patron beside Betty as worthy matron of Eastern Star, served as associate guardian of Job’s Daughters, was very active as a Shriner, and was committed to making sure that children that needed operations could seek them through the Shriners Hospital and organization. He was a member of the FunRunners in Hermiston and was a founding charter member of the Umatilla Sage Riders. Clyde was a member of the Eagles and Moose clubs, and was an Elks Club member for 63 years.
Clyde had a gift for telling jokes and stories and loved socializing with friends and family. He had limitless energy when it came to athleticism, whether it was competitive tennis, bowling league, couples dancing, snow skiing, ice dancing, waterskiing, swimming across Lake Sammamish (on a bet), horseback riding, bull riding or umpiring college football or basketball games. Clyde lived life to its fullest, and with Betty at his side, surrounded himself with family and friends. Betty was the light of Clyde’s life. Their love was magical like a storybook love story. Clyde started the day singing love songs or making up poetry for Betty and he ended every day telling Betty how much he loved her. Clyde renewed his marriage vows with Betty seven times and enjoyed celebrating each anniversary. They were rarely apart in their marriage of over 69 years and still held hands and snuggled every day to the very last.
Clyde was a joy to be around and made friends everywhere he went. Clyde had a strong work ethic that always related to taking care of his family and community, which he passed on to his family. Clyde touched many lives here on earth and those who were lucky enough to have been part of his life were blessed by knowing him. Clyde was an outstanding man!
He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Betty L. Nobles; their three children, Kelly C. Nobles (wife Terri Nobles), Kimberly J. Nobles and Kristi L. Nobles-Fisher (husband Steven Fisher). Clyde was blessed with 16 grandchildren: Stewart Saunders, Shannon Aldred, Koty Nobles and Kelly K. Nobles from son, Kelly, Sheila McEvilly (husband Michael McEvilly) and Douglas Kadyk Jr. from daughter, Kimberly, and Nicholas Nobles-Fisher, Nicole Nobles-Fisher, Austin Nobles-Fisher, Arielle Hoopes (husband Cody Hoopes), Kristiana Nobles-Fisher, Katelin Nobles-Fisher, Ryan Nobles-Fisher, Spencer Nobles-Fisher, Seth Fisher (wife Kristina Fisher) and Andrew Fisher, from daughter, Kristi. Clyde was further blessed with 12 great-grandchildren: Rowan McEvilly, Miles McEvilly, Madison Kadyk, Douglas Kadyk III, Allison Kadyk, Anabella Kadyk, Harper Nobles-Fisher, Angus Nobles-Fisher, Cason Hoopes, Lucas Hoopes, Claire Fisher and Chloe Fisher. Clyde is survived by his sister, Neva Ann Gilcher; brother, Samuel Nobles (wife Nancy Nobles); sister-in-law, Sandra Nobles; and many nieces and nephews.
Clyde was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde James Nobles and Genevra Amanda Nobles; and his younger brother, James Bruce Nobles.
A celebration of life service will be held on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023 at 2 p.m. at Burns Mortuary Chapel, Hermiston.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any remembrances be made to Shriners Hospital for Children or St. Jude’s Hospital for research and cure of children’s cancer.
Please share memories of Clyde with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
