Allen T. Noble

Allen Thomas Noble, 92, passed away of natural causes Sunday, July 18, 2021 at his home in Boise, Idaho.  He was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho on December 20, 1928 to Priscilla Allen and John Edgar Noble.

Allen lived his youthful years in Kuna, Idaho graduating from Kuna High School in 1946.  He cherished the friendships he made there and they lasted a lifetime.

He married Kuna native Vera May Shulz and they had five children-Susan, Linda, June, David and Mark.  First starting in the Happy Valley area between Nampa and Kuna, they farmed and milked cows for neighbors until they saved enough to have their own dairy and farm machinery.  He loved farm equipment and in 1958 bought an interest in Nampa International Harvester and moved his family to Nampa.

Allen had an innovative mind and a passion for progress.  His love for farming never left him and in the fall of 1961 he began pioneering what became known as “high lift pumping”, bringing irrigation water from the Snake River southwest of Nampa (northwest of Melba) up onto the desert ground of the Dry Lake area.  In the spring of 1962 he began his first crop year of growing mostly potatoes.  It was the success he had dreamed it would be and by the next crop year the entire Dry Lake area was cleared of sagebrush and being farmed by new neighbors and friends.  In 1964 Allen developed another high lift project near Glenns Ferry, Idaho on an even larger scale.  Both farming operations continue to this day.

In 1965 Allen married Billie Dee Jolley Johnson and added four more children to the family-Linda Sue, Cindee Lou, Kate and Rusty.

In the late 1960s, Allen developed another passion-Boise State football.  It stayed with him to the very end.  Over the years he served on the board of directors for the Bronco Athletic Association and was awarded the Bronze Bronco Award.

Allen served many years on the board of directors for Idaho First National Bank and its successors to present day US Bank.  

Allen had a lifetime interest in aviation that spanned from early private aircraft to entry into helicopters with agricultural spraying and Idaho Helicopters’ current operations of firefighting and air medical.  

While developing a new automated irrigation machine in the spring of 1979, Allen crossed paths with three young semiconductor design engineers who had recently moved to Boise and started a company called Micron Technology.  He became one the three initial outside investors that year and served on the board of directors until 1996.

In the mid 1980s, Allen’s love for farm machinery changed colors from International red to John Deere green when he became the valley’s John Deere dealer, Campbell Tractor Co. Allen had a pioneering spirit with the drive and determination to accomplish anything he put his mind to.  He was truly one of a kind!

Allen is survived by his children-Susan Schwendiman (John), Linda Castagneto (Craig), David Noble (Jan), Mark Noble (Jerrolynn), Linda Sue Capps (Steve), Cindee Lou Johnson, Rusty Johnson (Pam), 22 grandchildren and 54 great grandchildren.  He is also survived by his sister Sozel Casasanto and brother George Noble.

Allen was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Billie Dee, infant daughter June Noble, daughter Kate Petersen, infant granddaughter Shelby Nelson Noble, sister Jean Grow and brothers John and David.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at the Nampa Civic Center.  Burial will follow at Kohlerlawn in Nampa.  Viewing will be held at the Alsip and Persons Funeral Chapel in Nampa Tuesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

Funeral Service will be available via Zoom:

https://zoom.us/j/92513527129

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