Charles Martin Noonan

Charles Martin Noonan St. George, UT
Charles Martin "Marty" Noonan, 88, passed away peacefully at his home, with his family at his side on January 3rd, after a short bout with pancreatic cancer. He was born in Ogden, Utah on April 16, 1921, the first son of Charles Edward Noonan and Anna Kapp Noonan. The family moved to Southern California when Marty was 9 months old, where he resided until 18 years ago when he moved to St. George. He married Betty Malloy on June 26, 1943 in Compton, California and they were blessed with over 66 years of happiness. Their union produced a daughter and two sons. Preceding him in death was his youngest son, Michael and his brother, Jack. Surviving are his wife, Betty, his daughter, Pat (Jim) Selby, his son, Martin (Sandy) Noonan, his brother, Tom in Hemet, CA and sister, Dot (Ken) McCoid of Whittier, CA, sister-in-law Patricia Hinkle of St. George, and sister-in-law Peggy (Pete) Deller, also of St. George, plus seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He cherished his children and grandchildren, and spent a great deal of his time entertaining them in their younger years. They all grew up listening to his original and creative "Speck and Spot" stories, each one with a moral in the content. He was a very personable, successful and super salesman and worked for the Weatherby firearms company for 42 years, calling on retail dealers throughout California, Arizona and Nevada. At the age of 46 he took flying lessons, obtained his pilot's license, and for the next 15 years used his V-tailed Bonanza to cover his sales territory. He also owned a pristine 1951 MGTD automobile for over 20 years. His plane and the MG auto were the loves of his life as well, and he called his plane "Bonnie" and the car "Emmy G." He was an avid hunter until he retired, at which time he concentrated on his golf, which he loved - playing almost daily as a member of Bloomington Country Club - until two years ago. Prior to moving to St. George, Marty was a member for 16 years of Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach, CA. During this time he served a term on the Board of Governors. It was not unusual to see him on the putting green at the end of his work day with a suit and tie on, practicing his putting. His family called him the "Miracle Man", for throughout his life he survived numerous adverse surgeries and medical conditions. At age 13 he had surgery for a mastoid condition; in 1943 when he attempted to join the U. S. Marine Corps he learned he had a Branchial cleft cyst in his neck that had to be removed before he could be accepted; while serving his country in WWII in the South Pacific at the battles of Tarawa, New Britain and Peleliu he was wounded twice receiving two purple hearts; he returned home from overseas in 1945 with hepatitis; experienced his first heart attack in 1977 (an MI with no surgery); had carotid artery surgery in 1989, followed by a mild stroke; his second heart attack and 7-way bypass surgery in 1998, two complete knee replacements within a week in 2002, a bleeding ulcer in 2006, labyrinthitis, an inner ear problem, in 2007 that has affected his balance for the past two years, a malignant melanoma removed from the calf of his leg in 2008, and laparoscopic repair of a hernia this last November. He was known for very rapid recoveries in most of these instances, allowing him to return quickly to his golf - - until two years ago. It was during his hernia surgery that he met his match when cancer was discovered with little or no hope for recovery. All this, and he still lived 88 years! Once a Marine, always a Marine. SEMPER FI, Marty! A Requiem Mass will be held at St. George Catholic Church (Kuzy Hall) on Friday, January 8, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Tonaquint Cemetery in St. George, Utah. Our heartfelt thanks go to Dr. Robert Rignell and Dr. Lynn Nimer, for their years of attentive care, the personnel at Dixie Regional Medical Center and all the wonderful staff and volunteers with Applegate Hospice. In lieu of flowers the family suggests a donation be made to Dixie Regional Foundation in Marty's name.