Stephen Hall Noble

1939 - 2026

Stephen Hall Noble
November 12, 1939 - March 2, 2026
Stephen Hall Noble, a wonderful, intelligent, successful, and very much-loved man of Scottish, Irish, Welsh, and English ancestry, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by family on March 2, 2026. He was 86 years old.

Steve, or Hall, as many of us called him, was born November 12, 1939 in Beaumont, Texas. He moved to Houston with his family when he was young.

As a boy, Steve played Little League Baseball on a team called the Bengals. He was a dedicated Boy Scout, as well-both traditions in our family. At the age of 14, Steve traveled to the scout National Jamboree and tested his mettle with summer challenges at the rugged backcountry adventure base of Philmont Scout Ranch in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains outside Cimarron, New Mexico.

Steve received a high-quality public-school education in Houston at Mirabeau B. Lamar High School, where he graduated on May 31, 1957.

In 1961, he entered the U.S. Army and trained at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. He knew this decision would enable him to take advantage of the GI Bill to attend college.

After training, Steve was stationed in Eritrea, near the Horn of Africa. Kagnew Station, in Asmara, was the strategic communications base of the 4th Detachment of the Second Signal Service Battalion, featuring an earth-based terminal for the Defense Satellite Communications System, later known as STRATCOM. In down time, Steve had the good fortune to scuba dive in the Red Sea a step from his base. His leave trips took him to other destinations in North Africa, such as Casablanca, Morocco.

After his stint in Eritrea, Steve attended The University of Houston, where he attained a Bachelor of Science degree, specializing in Mathematics, at the age of 26, on June 4, 1966. Like many veterans, Steve's choice of degree studies was shaped by his Army training and intellectual strengths.

His experience in signal intelligence, radio communications, and high frequency transmissions for the U.S. diplomatic corps seeded his career choice. An Army buddy invited Steve to Manhattan Beach, California for a visit, and they agreed that Southern California might be a good fit for Steve's interests and skills.

Meeting Monica Susan Shultz was a defining moment in Steve's life. Monica was a smart, wise and witty Classics graduate from New Jersey who had moved to the LA area with her brother John in 1972. She and Steve happened to meet at a backyard barbeque in 1974. They hit it off instantly, dated for several years, then married in 1979. They never had children, but what they did share was a lifetime of happiness, travel, sailing, and love, until Monica's death in May of 2019. Steve said to us: "She was always the one; she was the only one."

Career-wise, Steve was fortunate to get in on the ground floor of the computer revolution that was percolating through the Southern California technology and business world at that time. He hired on with Xerox and was sent traveling to Japan, China, and England, working on the company's nascent mainframe technologies. After leaving Xerox, he was hired by Quotron, an LA company that captured 80 percent market share by replacing ticker tape stock quoting with small aluminum-housed mini-computer systems that featured digital displays of market movements. Steve traveled all over the country and beyond to install, service, and maintain these systems until his retirement.

Steve often said that Quotron's entrepreneur/owner, John Scantlin, personally hired him. The company was a young startup populated by computer techs in their early-to-mid 30s who in their free time were surfers, divers, sailors, and golfers. Scantlin expected everyone to work hard, but have fun pursuing their interests. True to his nature, Scantlin made Steve a handshake deal that the job would be waiting on Steve's return from a long-planned summer sailing trip.

Steve, Monica, and nephew Franklin Wynne "Frank" Noble set sail on Steve's boat, the Wayward Wind, a sailboat rated for blue-water open-ocean sailing. Steve had bought the boat from a friend, without knowing how to sail, but his friend taught him the ropes-Steve was a quick study. During the trip, Monica, while working in management at an LA insurance company, would jump on and off the boat at various ports of call around the Channel Islands, the California coast and the Baja Peninsula. Together, they put in at locales such as Santa Barbara, San Diego, Tijuana, Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Mazatlán, and Acapulco. We treasure a photo of Steve and Monica on the sailboat during that fabled summer; it is a visual paean to their great love for adventure and for each other.

Stephen Hall Noble was a man of conscience and integrity who lived life to the full. In retirement, he prioritized love and support for his wife, for his family, for his wonderful neighbors, and for his Manhattan Beach community. Steve volunteered as a docent of the Manhattan Beach Historical Society museum at Polliwog Park for several years. The neighbors enjoyed many offers by Steve and Monica to host block parties on their front lawn. Before retirement, Steve's father and brother got him into golfing; Steve spent many a fine day golfing around the extensive array of municipal courses in L.A. County and eagerly volunteered whenever a PGA tournament was held in the area.

Steve was a widely-read man of experience and many interests. An attentive and engaging conversationalist, Steve was as likely to listen well to our stories as to prank us with a pun, regale us with his adventure stories, technology history, aviation history, California real estate, automotive history, and more.

Steve is predeceased by his parents, Doris Winton Wilson Noble and Franklin Hall Noble; by his brother Dr. Franklin Wilson Noble; by his grand niece and nephew, Krystal Lashea Noble and Franklin Harvey Noble; by his beloved wife Monica Susan Shultz Noble; and by his nephew Franklin Wynne Noble.

He is survived by his nephew Patrick Wilson Noble; his niece Julie Anne Noble (and her children Kenda Wynnelle Taylor and Quinlin Noble Taylor); his nephew Dr. Joseph Howard Noble and wife Amy (and their children Dylan Joseph Noble, David Howard Noble, and Jenna Michele Noble); and Franklin Wynne Noble's wife Mary Katherine Harvey Noble.

Steve moved to a retirement home in San Antonio, Texas, to be closer to his nephew, Joe, who cared for him while he battled dementia. His last four years were spent in the company of one of the most compassionate and exceptional caregivers anyone could have. Paula "Pinky" Carter, a seasoned caregiver, was quick to notice when he was in need and made sure he had everything to get him through his day. She would take him to the barber, out to lunch, to the dog park, even to the grocery store to run errands. He especially loved it when he and Pinky would go to the commissary at Joint Base San Antonio - Camp Bullis. The soldiers on base would check his military ID, snap a salute, and thank him for his service. Steve would banter with them and share a good joke or a funny story full of the dry wit for which he was known. Thank you, Pinky, for your companionship, patience and wit. You lovingly assisted Steve through his journey and helped him pass over peacefully. Special thanks also to Annabelle DeLeon for her care services at the end. God bless you both.

An interment service honoring Steve will be held at the historic St. Mark's Episcopal Church, at 315 East Pecan Street, 78205, in downtown San Antonio, Texas at 10:00 a.m. on April 25, 2026. All are welcome.