Papa was a brunette, about 5‟10" in height, with a muscular build, blue eyes, small feet, and a tenor voice. He was born June 5, 1886 in Poolville, Johnson County, Texas, and came to Oklahoma in 1898. There is a story that he helped drive a herd of cattle from Texas. Pretty surely they came in a wagon. Papa had only a sixth grade education, but he was an avid reader and had a high aptitude for math. His self education propelled him into complex business management positions. He seemed to know the legal description of every acre of land in Grady County.
Papa never drank, and only smoked a cigar occasionally. When the older boys were married and gone from home, they enjoyed buying him a box of El Roi-Tan Cigars as a Christmas gift, and each of the adult men would go outside and light up after the Christmas meal. That box of cigars would last him for several months.
Papa seldom used vulgar language, and didn't tolerate it in his children. If he missed the nail and struck his thumb, he might exclaim, "S . . . ." But that was heard only very seldom.
Although Papa always claimed to be a farmer and lived on a farm, he did much more than farm. He certainly did own the 260 acres, and it was farmed, but most of the work was done by his sons and a hired hand. He managed the Amber Cotton Gin in the early 1930's. From the middle 1930's through the 1950's he was a Federal Land Bank Agent with an office on the fourth floor of the Oklahoma National Bank Building in Chickasha. Later, he moved the office across the street, west, next to the First National Bank. His secretary was Mable Brown. She was single most of the years, but married a man named Brown, so she was Mable Grace (Brown) Brown.
Papa was the Chairman of the Grady County Fair Board for a number of years—a big volunteer commitment he felt was important. He did a good job.
Papa would go to the field with the boys in the early morning to be sure they had the techniques, knowledge, and equipment to plow, plant, or harvest. After getting each boy started he would say, "Now remember, you are always at the wrong end of the field." Then he would leave for the office. His movements were accurate and purposeful, and he never met a problem, only challenges. He did not seek, or want, the managerial jobs, but people sought him out for them. They provided an income at a time when abject poverty was the norm. Instead of being a federal bureaucrat, he used his resourcefulness, intuition, and influence to help many farmers keep their farms during the depression of the 1930's, and they sang his praises long after the days of depression ended.
He was also a self-taught parent. By the time his 10th child was grown, he knew how to do everything but express his love, and he was getting around to that. He was never a burden to his children, and they were always proud of the name and reputation of being a Noakes.
Papa loved his children very much, but he had never been taught to show his love by telling nor by touching. He seldom touched a child except to pick it up to carry it with some purpose. Although he never told his children he loved them, he did love them, and they knew it. He had just never been taught to show love in those ways.
Papa‟s way of showing love was by providing for his family every opportunity for education and training, and by seeing that they had the things they wanted or needed for their welfare. He purchased expensive band instruments for each of the last four children at a time when money was hard to come by. He always saw that each child had plenty of clothes, shoes, food, and medical and dental care.
Sometimes he even went against his best judgment to buy things for his children. When Bob was in basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, he wanted to buy a motorcycle to ride home. It was the Fourth of July weekend, and Bob was able to get a weekend pass. A boy from Purcell wanted to come home also, and Bob wanted to buy the motorcycle and bring the other boy to Purcell and then ride on up to Amber. Bob had never driven a motorcycle, although he had ridden on the back of one. Needless to say, Papa did not approve, but with Bob's persuasion, and Mama's desire for him to come home, he sent him the money. Bob and his Army Air Corps friend made it home, but when Papa saw him on the motorcycle, he determined he would not let him ride it back to San Antonio. He bought train tickets for both boys and saw them off from Chickasha.
The motorcycle stayed in the family for a few years. Bob paid Papa for it and he and Billy rode it many miles. Once, Billy was even able to get Papa on it and take him to where he wanted to go. Both Bob and Billy rode it to college many times.
By 1947 Papa had retired from the job as Federal Land Bank Agent, and was having difficulty keeping up with the farming, so he decided to sell the farm and move to Amber. Bill was a senior that year, and remembers living at Amber and going to school only about three months. Papa realized he was not able to let the home place go, paid to get it back, and he, Mama, and Bill moved back onto the farm.
In 1958 Papa had a heart attack, sold the farm again, and rented a little house in Oklahoma City, close to Lerlene. He lived there only a few months and died of a heart attack and pneumonia.
When Papa died, May 16, 1958, there were far too many friends and relatives to be accommodated at the First Baptist Church at Amber. The services were held in the Amber High School Gymnasium which was filled with family and friends. It was comforting to see the number of people who attended, many of them old friends for years and years.
Papa never drank, and only smoked a cigar occasionally. When the older boys were married and gone from home, they enjoyed buying him a box of El Roi-Tan Cigars as a Christmas gift, and each of the adult men would go outside and light up after the Christmas meal. That box of cigars would last him for several months.
Papa seldom used vulgar language, and didn't tolerate it in his children. If he missed the nail and struck his thumb, he might exclaim, "S . . . ." But that was heard only very seldom.
Although Papa always claimed to be a farmer and lived on a farm, he did much more than farm. He certainly did own the 260 acres, and it was farmed, but most of the work was done by his sons and a hired hand. He managed the Amber Cotton Gin in the early 1930's. From the middle 1930's through the 1950's he was a Federal Land Bank Agent with an office on the fourth floor of the Oklahoma National Bank Building in Chickasha. Later, he moved the office across the street, west, next to the First National Bank. His secretary was Mable Brown. She was single most of the years, but married a man named Brown, so she was Mable Grace (Brown) Brown.
Papa was the Chairman of the Grady County Fair Board for a number of years—a big volunteer commitment he felt was important. He did a good job.
Papa would go to the field with the boys in the early morning to be sure they had the techniques, knowledge, and equipment to plow, plant, or harvest. After getting each boy started he would say, "Now remember, you are always at the wrong end of the field." Then he would leave for the office. His movements were accurate and purposeful, and he never met a problem, only challenges. He did not seek, or want, the managerial jobs, but people sought him out for them. They provided an income at a time when abject poverty was the norm. Instead of being a federal bureaucrat, he used his resourcefulness, intuition, and influence to help many farmers keep their farms during the depression of the 1930's, and they sang his praises long after the days of depression ended.
He was also a self-taught parent. By the time his 10th child was grown, he knew how to do everything but express his love, and he was getting around to that. He was never a burden to his children, and they were always proud of the name and reputation of being a Noakes.
Papa loved his children very much, but he had never been taught to show his love by telling nor by touching. He seldom touched a child except to pick it up to carry it with some purpose. Although he never told his children he loved them, he did love them, and they knew it. He had just never been taught to show love in those ways.
Papa‟s way of showing love was by providing for his family every opportunity for education and training, and by seeing that they had the things they wanted or needed for their welfare. He purchased expensive band instruments for each of the last four children at a time when money was hard to come by. He always saw that each child had plenty of clothes, shoes, food, and medical and dental care.
Sometimes he even went against his best judgment to buy things for his children. When Bob was in basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, he wanted to buy a motorcycle to ride home. It was the Fourth of July weekend, and Bob was able to get a weekend pass. A boy from Purcell wanted to come home also, and Bob wanted to buy the motorcycle and bring the other boy to Purcell and then ride on up to Amber. Bob had never driven a motorcycle, although he had ridden on the back of one. Needless to say, Papa did not approve, but with Bob's persuasion, and Mama's desire for him to come home, he sent him the money. Bob and his Army Air Corps friend made it home, but when Papa saw him on the motorcycle, he determined he would not let him ride it back to San Antonio. He bought train tickets for both boys and saw them off from Chickasha.
The motorcycle stayed in the family for a few years. Bob paid Papa for it and he and Billy rode it many miles. Once, Billy was even able to get Papa on it and take him to where he wanted to go. Both Bob and Billy rode it to college many times.
By 1947 Papa had retired from the job as Federal Land Bank Agent, and was having difficulty keeping up with the farming, so he decided to sell the farm and move to Amber. Bill was a senior that year, and remembers living at Amber and going to school only about three months. Papa realized he was not able to let the home place go, paid to get it back, and he, Mama, and Bill moved back onto the farm.
In 1958 Papa had a heart attack, sold the farm again, and rented a little house in Oklahoma City, close to Lerlene. He lived there only a few months and died of a heart attack and pneumonia.
When Papa died, May 16, 1958, there were far too many friends and relatives to be accommodated at the First Baptist Church at Amber. The services were held in the Amber High School Gymnasium which was filled with family and friends. It was comforting to see the number of people who attended, many of them old friends for years and years.
Papa was a brunette, about 5‟10" in height, with a muscular build, blue eyes, small feet, and a tenor voice. He was born June 5, 1886 in Poolville, Johnson County, Texas, and came to Oklahoma in 1898. There is a story that he helped drive a herd of cattle from Texas. Pretty surely they came in a wagon. Papa had only a sixth grade education, but he was an avid reader and had a high aptitude for math. His self education propelled him into complex business management positions. He seemed to know the legal description of every acre of land in Grady County.
Papa never drank, and only smoked a cigar occasionally. When the older boys were married and gone from home, they enjoyed buying him a box of El Roi-Tan Cigars as a Christmas gift, and each of the adult men would go outside and light up after the Christmas meal. That box of cigars would last him for several months.
Papa seldom used vulgar language, and didn't tolerate it in his children. If he missed the nail and struck his thumb, he might exclaim, "S . . . ." But that was heard only very seldom.
Although Papa always claimed to be a farmer and lived on a farm, he did much more than farm. He certainly did own the 260 acres, and it was farmed, but most of the work was done by his sons and a hired hand. He managed the Amber Cotton Gin in the early 1930's. From the middle 1930's through the 1950's he was a Federal Land Bank Agent with an office on the fourth floor of the Oklahoma National Bank Building in Chickasha. Later, he moved the office across the street, west, next to the First National Bank. His secretary was Mable Brown. She was single most of the years, but married a man named Brown, so she was Mable Grace (Brown) Brown.
Papa was the Chairman of the Grady County Fair Board for a number of years—a big volunteer commitment he felt was important. He did a good job.
Papa would go to the field with the boys in the early morning to be sure they had the techniques, knowledge, and equipment to plow, plant, or harvest. After getting each boy started he would say, "Now remember, you are always at the wrong end of the field." Then he would leave for the office. His movements were accurate and purposeful, and he never met a problem, only challenges. He did not seek, or want, the managerial jobs, but people sought him out for them. They provided an income at a time when abject poverty was the norm. Instead of being a federal bureaucrat, he used his resourcefulness, intuition, and influence to help many farmers keep their farms during the depression of the 1930's, and they sang his praises long after the days of depression ended.
He was also a self-taught parent. By the time his 10th child was grown, he knew how to do everything but express his love, and he was getting around to that. He was never a burden to his children, and they were always proud of the name and reputation of being a Noakes.
Papa loved his children very much, but he had never been taught to show his love by telling nor by touching. He seldom touched a child except to pick it up to carry it with some purpose. Although he never told his children he loved them, he did love them, and they knew it. He had just never been taught to show love in those ways.
Papa‟s way of showing love was by providing for his family every opportunity for education and training, and by seeing that they had the things they wanted or needed for their welfare. He purchased expensive band instruments for each of the last four children at a time when money was hard to come by. He always saw that each child had plenty of clothes, shoes, food, and medical and dental care.
Sometimes he even went against his best judgment to buy things for his children. When Bob was in basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, he wanted to buy a motorcycle to ride home. It was the Fourth of July weekend, and Bob was able to get a weekend pass. A boy from Purcell wanted to come home also, and Bob wanted to buy the motorcycle and bring the other boy to Purcell and then ride on up to Amber. Bob had never driven a motorcycle, although he had ridden on the back of one. Needless to say, Papa did not approve, but with Bob's persuasion, and Mama's desire for him to come home, he sent him the money. Bob and his Army Air Corps friend made it home, but when Papa saw him on the motorcycle, he determined he would not let him ride it back to San Antonio. He bought train tickets for both boys and saw them off from Chickasha.
The motorcycle stayed in the family for a few years. Bob paid Papa for it and he and Billy rode it many miles. Once, Billy was even able to get Papa on it and take him to where he wanted to go. Both Bob and Billy rode it to college many times.
By 1947 Papa had retired from the job as Federal Land Bank Agent, and was having difficulty keeping up with the farming, so he decided to sell the farm and move to Amber. Bill was a senior that year, and remembers living at Amber and going to school only about three months. Papa realized he was not able to let the home place go, paid to get it back, and he, Mama, and Bill moved back onto the farm.
In 1958 Papa had a heart attack, sold the farm again, and rented a little house in Oklahoma City, close to Lerlene. He lived there only a few months and died of a heart attack and pneumonia.
When Papa died, May 16, 1958, there were far too many friends and relatives to be accommodated at the First Baptist Church at Amber. The services were held in the Amber High School Gymnasium which was filled with family and friends. It was comforting to see the number of people who attended, many of them old friends for years and years.
Papa never drank, and only smoked a cigar occasionally. When the older boys were married and gone from home, they enjoyed buying him a box of El Roi-Tan Cigars as a Christmas gift, and each of the adult men would go outside and light up after the Christmas meal. That box of cigars would last him for several months.
Papa seldom used vulgar language, and didn't tolerate it in his children. If he missed the nail and struck his thumb, he might exclaim, "S . . . ." But that was heard only very seldom.
Although Papa always claimed to be a farmer and lived on a farm, he did much more than farm. He certainly did own the 260 acres, and it was farmed, but most of the work was done by his sons and a hired hand. He managed the Amber Cotton Gin in the early 1930's. From the middle 1930's through the 1950's he was a Federal Land Bank Agent with an office on the fourth floor of the Oklahoma National Bank Building in Chickasha. Later, he moved the office across the street, west, next to the First National Bank. His secretary was Mable Brown. She was single most of the years, but married a man named Brown, so she was Mable Grace (Brown) Brown.
Papa was the Chairman of the Grady County Fair Board for a number of years—a big volunteer commitment he felt was important. He did a good job.
Papa would go to the field with the boys in the early morning to be sure they had the techniques, knowledge, and equipment to plow, plant, or harvest. After getting each boy started he would say, "Now remember, you are always at the wrong end of the field." Then he would leave for the office. His movements were accurate and purposeful, and he never met a problem, only challenges. He did not seek, or want, the managerial jobs, but people sought him out for them. They provided an income at a time when abject poverty was the norm. Instead of being a federal bureaucrat, he used his resourcefulness, intuition, and influence to help many farmers keep their farms during the depression of the 1930's, and they sang his praises long after the days of depression ended.
He was also a self-taught parent. By the time his 10th child was grown, he knew how to do everything but express his love, and he was getting around to that. He was never a burden to his children, and they were always proud of the name and reputation of being a Noakes.
Papa loved his children very much, but he had never been taught to show his love by telling nor by touching. He seldom touched a child except to pick it up to carry it with some purpose. Although he never told his children he loved them, he did love them, and they knew it. He had just never been taught to show love in those ways.
Papa‟s way of showing love was by providing for his family every opportunity for education and training, and by seeing that they had the things they wanted or needed for their welfare. He purchased expensive band instruments for each of the last four children at a time when money was hard to come by. He always saw that each child had plenty of clothes, shoes, food, and medical and dental care.
Sometimes he even went against his best judgment to buy things for his children. When Bob was in basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, he wanted to buy a motorcycle to ride home. It was the Fourth of July weekend, and Bob was able to get a weekend pass. A boy from Purcell wanted to come home also, and Bob wanted to buy the motorcycle and bring the other boy to Purcell and then ride on up to Amber. Bob had never driven a motorcycle, although he had ridden on the back of one. Needless to say, Papa did not approve, but with Bob's persuasion, and Mama's desire for him to come home, he sent him the money. Bob and his Army Air Corps friend made it home, but when Papa saw him on the motorcycle, he determined he would not let him ride it back to San Antonio. He bought train tickets for both boys and saw them off from Chickasha.
The motorcycle stayed in the family for a few years. Bob paid Papa for it and he and Billy rode it many miles. Once, Billy was even able to get Papa on it and take him to where he wanted to go. Both Bob and Billy rode it to college many times.
By 1947 Papa had retired from the job as Federal Land Bank Agent, and was having difficulty keeping up with the farming, so he decided to sell the farm and move to Amber. Bill was a senior that year, and remembers living at Amber and going to school only about three months. Papa realized he was not able to let the home place go, paid to get it back, and he, Mama, and Bill moved back onto the farm.
In 1958 Papa had a heart attack, sold the farm again, and rented a little house in Oklahoma City, close to Lerlene. He lived there only a few months and died of a heart attack and pneumonia.
When Papa died, May 16, 1958, there were far too many friends and relatives to be accommodated at the First Baptist Church at Amber. The services were held in the Amber High School Gymnasium which was filled with family and friends. It was comforting to see the number of people who attended, many of them old friends for years and years.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
