TumorLater

Mark passed away Saturday, January 15, 2005 following a long battle against brain cancer that he contracted while working as a firefighter for the City of Olympia. Mark was born July 15, 1957 in Larkspur, California to Helaine and Gerald Noble, and was raised in Belvedere, California. From 1975-1978, Mark attended The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1978.

While attending Evergreen, Mark joined the McLane Fire Department as a student firefighter and began pursuing firefighting as a career. After brief jobs with the U.S. Forest Service and the Belvedere Fire Department, Mark joined the McLane Fire Department in 1980 as a full-time paid firefighter. While at McLane Mark attained the rank of Captain and served several terms as President of the Fire Fighter’s Local Union. In 1984, Mark transferred to the Olympia Fire Department where he worked until his illness forced him to retire. Mark’s love of the fire service stemmed from the challenge inherent in the work, the camaraderie of his fellow firefighters, and the satisfaction of serving the public.Also while serving as a student firefighter with McLane, Mark met his first wife, Kyle Wienk. They married in 1980 and raised two sons, Luke and Shane Noble. Mark built their first small house on Brenner Road in Olympia which served as their home while Mark designed and built a remarkable post and beam house centered around a great room defined by a beam supported by two natural tree posts. Throughout his life, Mark’s house became the site of large parties involving his many friends. The initial housewarming party before the interior walls were put up accommodated four squares of square dancers. This past year, their annual Thanks-Friday party (the day after Thanksgiving) seated more than 40 people.

In order to pursue his two great passions woodworking and photography, Mark later built a woodshop next to the main house and converted the original house into a photography studio. Mark’s love of black and white landscape photography evolved from his father’s association with the renowned outdoor photographer, Ansel Adams. He became a skilled photographer with a discerning eye, and his photos were treasured gifts to friends and valued finds for collectors.

In 2000 Mark and Kyle divorced. The following year Mark met Rebecca Cubbage and their relationship blossomed to the point that, in spite of Mark’s diagnosis of brain cancer, they married the next year, 2002. Their immense love for each other is evidenced by their decision to marry twice, including a romantic ceremony on a Whidbey Island beach.

Mark was preceded in death by his father, Gerald, and sister, Christina. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca, his sons, Luke and Shane, his mother, Helaine, and his sister, Lisa. Mark is also mourned by his many friends and co-workers. We will all miss you, Mark.

A memorial service will be held in Olympia at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, January 24 at 11:30 a.m.

Donations can be sent to
The Olympia Firefighters Civic Foundation
c/o WSCFF
1069 Adams Street SE
Olympia, WA 98506

Anyone wishing to share memories about Mark’s life can e-mail them to:

memories@nobleview.com

A selection will be posted at TumorOrLater

Wow, a month since the last entry, not so good at this am I.

Back on the trial again. although not quite an easy path –first got clearance from the lung doc,, that was a delay of a week, then the new blood test came back saying the liver wasn’t up to snuff, another week delay, now it was off for another round of chemo, and my, oh, my, what have we here, but doesn’t your leg look rather swollen “Congradulations”! You have a brand new blood clot. You don’t get to go home you get to spend the next three nights and four days at the lovely Virginia Mason Hospital, And, as a special bonus prize get to go on blood thinners for the next six months and have shots twice a day
Read the rest of this entry »

The Clinical Trial to get me off of the steroids wasn’t looking too good. Turns out, since it is a double blind study, half the folks get a placebo. In my case, my lung function has deteriorated so much from the effects of the chemo and steroids that it was thought that I would not qualify because of a med they give to fool you if you are receiving the placebo — it mimics the effect of the real thing — isn’t too kind to the lungs. So after another trip to Seattle, things didn’t look too fruitful, although my Doc was going to check with the lung Doc about it.

A few nights later, my mom was having dinner with some friends, talking about
Read the rest of this entry »