Al Ben Nobles

1940 - 2025

Al Ben Nobles

February 1, 1940 - October 15, 2025

Charlotte, North Carolina - Al Ben Nobles passed away on October 15, 2025. He was born on February 1, 1940, the oldest son of Albert Frank Nobles and Lucille Willis Nobles of Dublin, Georgia. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Al moved to Georgia during WWII. He grew up and was educated in Moultrie, Georgia.

Al was a 1962 graduate of Georgia Tech, with a BS degree in Industrial Management. He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. He would often remind others that he was "at Tech during the days of Bobby Dodd when the football team beat Georgia and Clemson with regularity".

Al served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves from 1963 until 1969. At the conclusion of basic training at Paris Island, he received the Leatherneck Dress Blue Uniform Award as the top recruit in his platoon.

After short stints with Swift & Company in Kansas City and Ford Motor Company in Atlanta, Al worked for Celanese Corporation for thirty-two years. The high light of his career was the last forty-two months, (1995-1998), serving as the deputy general manager of finance for the Hoechst Celanese joint venture in Kunming, China. As he said "something new every day".

Al enjoyed traveling and he and his wife, Babe, traveled extensively in Europe and South East Asia. However, there is no doubt that the best weeks of his life were the annual family vacations at Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

Al grew up in the Methodist Church and became an Episcopalian after marriage. He and his oldest daughter, Alice, were confirmed together in 1981 at Christ Church in Charlotte. He later attended St Luke's in Salisbury and served on the church's finance committee during his later years.

Al was preceded in death by his youngest daughter, Helen Middleton Nobles. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lois Middleton (Babe) Nobles; two children: Alice Nobles Hill (Ken) of Charles Town WV and William Linder Nobles (Margaret) of Raleigh, NC; four granddaughters: Emily and Caroline Hill and Cecelia and Mary Blake Nobles; one sister, Margie Nobles Benavides of Randallstown, Md and one half-brother, William Linder of Tifton, Georgia.

A memorial service will be held at 3 PM Saturday (November 1) at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, officiated by Father Tom Carter. The family will receive friends following the service in the Parrish Hall.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church,131 West Council Street, Salisbury, NC 28144, or Novant Health Hospice, 1229 Statesville Boulevard, Salisbury, NC 28144.

Summersett Funeral Home is serving the Nobles family. Online condolences may be made at www.summersettfuneralhome.com.