Noel Lester Smith

Obituary In Memory On Saturday, October 17, 2015, Captain Noel Lester Smith, 84, went to be with his beloved "Petie," after a 15-year battle with prostate cancer. Noel was born July 19, 1931 in Madison, Wisconsin to Genevieve and Charles L. "Les" Smith. Les and his twin brother Lee and older brother Chad were among the first 12 pilots hired by Northwest Airlines (NWA). In his youth in Minneapolis Noel was an acclaimed junior horseman. He earned a degree in animal husbandry and agriculture from the University of Minnesota and became a Navy carrier pilot. He was stationed with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in Naples and made 128 carrier landings flying the Douglas AD-5 Skyraider. In 1955 Noel was coming home on leave when he met Phyllis Joan "Petie" Peters, who was a NWA stewardess on the flight. Lt. Junior Grade Noel L. Smith and Petie married in 1956 and their first residence was in Northfield N.J.They moved to Minneapolis in 1957 and Noel became a pilot for Northwest Airlines. During his 30 years with the airline, they also lived in Rosemount, MN, and Honolulu, HI before transferring to the Seattle, WA area in 1972, and eventually retiring in Clyde Hill, WA. Noel and Petie were married for 55 years until her death in 2012. Together they raised five children. Their beloved middle child, Cathy, died in 2007. Noel is survived by four remaining children:Angela (Oscar) Moretti of St. Louis, MO; Michael B. (Christie) Smith of Tacoma, WA; Patricia Doyle (Greg Walan) of North Aurora, IL; and Stone (Samantha) Smith of Bothell, WA. In addition he is survived by 10 grandchildren: Laura (Grant) Challen, Adrian Moretti, Alison and Adam Smith, Kim Hollins, Erin and Tom Doyle, and Benjamin, Zachary and Samuel Smith - and two great-grandsons: Matthew and Michael Challen. Additional survivors include his younger brother Robert (Diane) Smith of Midway UT and Scottsdale, AZ; niece Sheryl (John) LaFalce of Golden, CO and nephew David Smith of Houston, TX. A private funeral service is being planned for summer 2016 at St. Charles parish in Tacoma, Washington that will be followed by a ceremony and inurnment of Noel and Petie's ashes at Tahoma National Cemetery. Please leave online condolences at www.gaffneycares.com.