My Grandparents

Three important things to say about my Grandfather are: (1) He was the most interesting man I've ever known; (2) He had the greatest influence on my life; and (3) There hasn't been a single day since 1979 that I haven't thought of him and missed him.

John William Noe was the oldest of ten children born to George Chapman Noe (April 8, 1865 to April 3, 1934) and Minnie Cora Walls Noe (October 13, 1869 to September 14, 1941).

I called him "Papaw" and he called me "Sis", and we adored each other. Papaw loved life. He didn't just live it, he embraced it. He had an interest in so many things. Walking, watching baseball, keeping journals of his life, fishing, writing poetry, politics ... you name, and he problably knew a little (or a lot!) about it!

One of my earliest memories is when my Grandparents lived in Lady Lake, Florida. We couldn't wait to get to their house. I loved the quiet evenings there, sitting on their screened-in porch listening to Papaw, Daddy and my Uncles (Everett & Pete). Linda always sat in the living room chatting with the ladies; but I would always sneak out and sit quietly on the dark porch and listen to the men. They talked about everything ... from fishing talkes to the latest snake Papaw or Pete had killed there in the yard ... conversations peppered with religion and politics. Papaw's porch remains, to this day, my favorite place on earth.

Me on the porch with Daddy, Pete, Papaw, Everett & Gary)

In the daytime, I often walked to the post office with Papaw, or he'd take me out back to the little shed that housed his worm farm for fishing. We'd take watermelon rinds and put them in the big washtubs, and watch the worms crawl up into them.

In front of their home on McClellan in Lady Lake

After Daddy passed away, Papaw and Mamaw moved in with us. That helped a lot. Once again, we had a man in the house, and I felt like I had a father, because Papaw and I were that close. While livng with us, Papaw began feeding the squirrels on our front porch. He nearly tamed them! They'd eat right out of his hand. We were especially close to one squirrel we named "One-Eye", because one of his eyes had been shot out by a B-B gun. Papaw would pick up hundreds of acorns as he walked around our neighborhood, and would save them for the squirrels.

We all love baseball in our family, and Papaw enjoyed going to Gardner Park by our home to watch the league games. But more than anything, he loved to wath the Cincinnati Reds play at Riverfront Stadium. During the years when I worked for Johnny Bench, Papaw loved going to the Reds games with us. He got such a thrill talking with the players and managers. I will always appreciate the kindness shown to him, not just by Johnny and his famiy, but by Sparky Anderson, Pete Rose, Ted Kluzewski, Don Gullet and Joe Nuxhal. They always took extra time with him.

I feel that Linda and I were the luckiest and most blessed of all of the grandchildren because we were the ones who had Papaw and Mamaw living in our home. Because they were there, every day was special. We have such wonderful memories of Papaw playing Yahtzee with us (or rummy with me) or watching TV with us (how he loved watching The Andy Griffith Show, and also couldn't wait each year for The Wizard of Oz to be shown!), or hiding money for us in the tree each Christmas morning.

No granddaughter could have loved a grandfather more. And none could miss him any more than I do still.

Mamaw & Papaw (John & Nancy Noe), 1972

Nancy Young Noe (Mamaw)

Nancy Young Noe was born the middle of three children to Wood Young (1868 to 1916) and Lillie Inman Young (March 11, 1870 to April 5, 1935).

My Grandmother was soft-spoken and very quiet, so not many people really knew her well. But for those of us in her family, Mamaw was one of the most loved people in the world.

   

(Left) Papaw & Mamaw, 1914 with the first two children, Joseph & Frances;
(Right) My 1st birthday with Mamaw & Papaw, June 9, 1957

We had always been close to my grandparents. But when Mamaw and Papaw moved in with us, we really became a family. Linda and I felt that we had been given a second set of parents. It was probably the best years of our lives -- and I think it was for them, too. Having young people around kept my grandparents young, too.

Our family with Mamaw & Papaw on their 50th Wedding Anniversary, 1962

Mamaw's interests in life were not as varied as Papaw's. She loved playing Bingo, and we played a lot with her. We would ante in with M&M's, and whoever Bingo'd won the whole pile. She also loved watching television, especially her soap opera "As the World Turns".

But the thing that Mamaw loved most (next to her family) was her church. When she moved back to Cincinnati from Florida, she was so happy to be back "home" at the Wesleyan Christian Church in Arlington Heights. Many years before, when they were just thinking of building a church in Arlington, Papaw & Mamaw had donated the land to have the church built upon. So that church had always been very special to her.

Because she had suffered several strokes, Mamaw could not be out out-going and active as Papaw. But we enjoyed her living with us just as much. Her sweet, sweet spirit and her shy smile will always be remembered and cherished. She was beautiful. And even her own granddaughter's envied her silky smooth white skin.

I happened to be the only granddaughter who was named for her. That always made a very special bond between us. The night of her funeral, Papaw took me into their bedroom and gave me a box which contained my grandmother's wedding ring. He said he wanted me to have it because I was her namesake. Fifteen years later, when I married Steve, I was married with that ring. It's never left my finger. And I pray that it will be a symbol of love in a life-long Christian marriage for me, just as it was for the original Nancy who wore it.