Member Washington
State Nonprofits
Washington State Patrol
Memorial Foundation
P.O. Box 901, Prosser WA 99350 /wspmemorialfoundation@gmail.com / 360.597.4411
Trooper Frank Noble
Charles Frank Noble, was born on December 10, 1929, in Sacramento, California to Charles Frank Noble Sr. and Effie Maye Hayes. He spent his young life attending schools in California, Oregon and Washington, graduating from Vancouver High School in 1948.
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Two years after receiving his diploma, Noble enlisted in the United States Navy. He first enlisted on September 25, 1950, and served during the Korean War. He married his first wife, Betty J. Gill, in December 1951.
Noble re-enlisted with the Navy on July 8, 1954. After his tour was complete, he chose to continue his education by taking courses at Clark College. He also worked as an electrician's apprentice and on the railroad. Throughout it all, his desire to serve his community never dwindled.
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Noble joined the Washington State Patrol on November 4, 1957, initially as a driver's license examiner in Vancouver. He graduated with the 27th Trooper Cadet Class and was commissioned April 21, 1958, assigned to Renton.
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Trooper Noble transferred to Sunnyside in May 1969, the same year he and his wife, Betty, divorced. He married his second wife, registered nurse Marie Ruth Hunt (Myrick), in July 1969. By the time he was 42-years-old, Trooper Noble was the proud father of five children, including two stepsons.
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Trooper Frank Noble died on February 5, 1972, at the age of 42. He was shot during a traffic stop near Toppenish by a furloughed convict who earlier had robbed a convenience store. At the time of his death, Trooper Noble had served 14 years with the Washington State Patrol.
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Trooper Noble's wife, Marie, passed away on September 25, 2015, at the age of 80.
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Their son, Keith, is a retired police officer for the City of Kennewick. Keith lives in Kennewick with his wife, Dora, who is the principal at Chess Elementary in Pasco. Their son, Tanner, is 20 years old and is working in construction.
Trooper Noble's son, Mark, lives in Orting and works for Xfinity. He has four children and two grandchildren who all live in Puyallup.
Trooper Noble's daughter, Laurie, lives in Auburn and is semi-retired. Her two sons, Adam and Eric, are freelance artists and live in Puyallup.
Bill Hunt, stepson to Trooper Noble, owns a heating and air conditioning company. He is married to Sherry and they have two sons. Bill's brother, Hughie, lives with them in Newport.
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Please take a moment to remember Trooper Noble and his family.
Newspaper reporter Duane Dozier wrote of the burial service at the United Methodist Church in Sunnyside, WA, “The grave itself was backdropped by a row of evergreens, which stand as if at attention and on guard over the resting place of Trooper Noble.”
On February 5, 2022, Trooper Frank Noble was honored on the 50th anniversary of his line of duty death.
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Thank you to Captain Nelson and District 3 command & support staff for hosting a small ceremony to honor and remember his selfless sacrifice. Thank you to WSP Executive Staff, Government & Media Relations (GMR) staff and Chaplain Olsen for attending the ceremony. Thank you to Sergeant Rutherford and Trooper King for your assistance placing flowers on his grave site with the family.
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Thank you to everyone who attended to remember Trooper Frank Noble - gone, but never forgotten.