Endrik Noges

Endrik NOGES Professor Endrik Noges passed away shortly after noon on the beautiful day of June 6th, 2006. His life embodied the American dream. Endrik was born on April 5th, 1927 in the independent Baltic nation of Estonia. When he was 12, Russian troops crossed the border and seized the country. At the age of 14, German troops crossed the border, battled the Russians and occupied Estonia. In 1944 the Russians fought to recapture Estonia. At age 17 Endrik escaped from Estonia and Soviet rule, but was placed into a German labor camp as World War II was ending. In their sweep through Germany, victorious Allied forces freed him and other displaced eastern Europeans. Endrik worked for the U.S. Army as a civilian in postwar Germany and finished his high school education there, among other Estonians. The United States and its educational institutions aided many displaced people from postwar Europe. Endrik Noges was sponsored by Denison University in Ohio for a scholarship and living arrangements in 1949. This supplemented his aspirations to become a Professor, which is the ultimate in academic achievement in European society. He arrived by ship into New York harbor with nothing but the clothes he wore. The students, faculty and newfound friends at Denison embraced him and the other Europeans that they sponsored. Endrik met his bride, Evelyn while attending this school and they wed in 1951. They moved to Illinois when Endrik received a scholarship from Northwestern University to allow him a chance at his goal of an Electrical Engineering degree. Not only did he receive his Bachelors degree there, he was encouraged to continue and eventually received his Masters and PhD at Northwestern as well. During his graduate studies, he and Evelyn began raising three children. Endrik was offered an assistant Professorship at the University of Washington in 1958 and his young family moved out west. During this time he received word that some of his family survived the Russian occupation of Estonia, and some had not. In 1963, he took an opportunity for a teaching sabbatical in Helsinki, Finland and the family moved there for an academic year. Through covert means, so as not to endanger the lives of his family in Estonia under Soviet rule, he arranged for a tourist trip with his new family to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) by bus from Helsinki and a reunion was accomplished. Endrik and his family returned to their home in Kenmore and he continued at the University of Washington, where he became a Full Professor, an Associate Dean of Engineering, Chairman of the Department of Electrical Engineering and a Grand Marshall of UW Graduation. He has returned the assistance that the United States educational foundations provided him, by providing housing and assistance for many foreign (especially Estonian) students pursuing education at the University of Washington. Since Estonia regained its independence in 1991, he was recognized by that nation by being elected as a foreign member of their Academy of Sciences. Endrik retired from the UW in 1992. Endrik touched the world much more than in just his academic career. He was a volunteer National Ski Patroller at Crystal Mountain for 29 years. He consulted at Boeing, providing insight about his specialty, aviation guidance control. The family and friends he had over the years never forgot his generosity, kindness, and charming Estonian accent. They have poured out their love and well wishes during the past weeks since he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer. He smiled and welcomed visits and calls as long as he was able until, surrounded by his family, he passed on. Memorial Services for Endrik Noges will be held Thursday, June 15 at 3:00 p.m. at the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, 11710 3rd NE, Seattle 98125. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the UW EE Dept, an educational institution of your choice, or an Estonian organization. Please visit enoges.home.comcast.net on the web.