Obituary
Dr. Donald Lester Noah, of Charlotte, NC, passed away at Carolinas Medical Center, surrounded by his family, on January 16, 2016. He was 79 years old.
Don was born (the second of nine children) on October 1, 1936, in Scio, Ohio, to Donald (Farmer) and Viola Noah and was a 1954 graduate of Scio High School. He attended The Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in Agricultural Education (1958) and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (1966).
He owned a general veterinary practice for many years in Wayne County, Ohio, and also was an officer in the Ohio Air National Guard, retiring at the rank of Colonel. As a Guardsman, he was deployed to South Korea in 1968 following the capture of the USS Pueblo by North Korea. Dr. Noah relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1993 where he continued to practice veterinary medicine. In 1998, he joined Aesculight Lasers as a surgical laser consultant. Additionally, Brother Noah was a 32nd-degree mason and a Shriner.
In addition to his significant endeavors in veterinary medicine and the United States Air Force, Dr. Noah was a private pilot and held many positions of professional and community leadership. These included President of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, President of the Wooster Shrine Club, Deputy Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, and also was elected to the Smithville (Ohio) Town Council. He was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus of The Ohio State University in 2014.
Dr. Noah is survived by his wife, Beverly Sue (nee Statler); his sons Donald (daughter-in-law Catherine, granddaughter Caitlin, and grandsons Donald and Connor), John David (daughter-in-law Angie and granddaughters Allie and Cassie), Douglas (daughter-in-law Luda and grandson Declan), and stepdaughter Laynie Alvarez (stepson-in-law Joseph and step-granddaughter Abbie). His siblings include Shirley (Ernie) Davis (deceased in 2006), Bobby (Nancy) Noah, Charlotte (Don) Young, Harry (Jan) Noah, Janet (Claude) Paumier, Tom (Debbie) Noah, Betsy (Chris) Doerfler, and Nellie (Bill) Kintner.
Don was admired by many and will forever be remembered as a wonderfully loving husband, an unparalleled father who provided unerring guidance and advice, a brilliant medical diagnostician, a gifted surgeon, and a generous community leader. He was our rock and will be sorely missed.
