Noble S. Hembree

Noble S. Hembree, age 92, a resident of Fayetteville, Ark., passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 17, 2014. He was born the son of James A. and Lillie Mae Hembree of Fayetteville on Sept. 2, 1921. Noble married his wife of 73 years, F. Clementine Seeley, on Aug. 26, 1940, in Harrison, Ark. They had three wonderful children that were all born in the Washington, D.C., area. He was a member of Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Md., for 19 years, serving as a deacon of the church, leader of the Royal Ambassadors and an active parent in the youth programs. Noble retired from the Department of the Navy in 1973 with 32 years in the Civil Service. He and Clementine loved to travel and spent several years exploring our country and tracing their family history before returning to live in Fayetteville in 1976. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Fayetteville since 1976. Noble was a leader and very active in the Senior Adult Program and the Leisure Club. Noble's military service record spanned 29 years, including service in the Arkansas National Guard in Fayetteville, Ark., with the 142nd Field Artillery Brigade, and the DC National Guard in Washington, D.C. His active duty service in the U.S. Army included the Pacific Theater in WWII and the Korean Conflict. He was preceded in death by his parents; his older brother, Milford; and his younger sister, Joy. Survivors include his wife, Clementine; their three children, Edward Hembree and his wife, Jean, of Southport, N.C., Richard Hembree of Van Buren, Ark., Barbara McClung and her husband, Neal, of Silver Spring, Md.; daughter-in-law, Patricia Hembree of West Fork, Ark.; 13 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends 5 to 7 p.m. Friday evening April 18, 2014, at Moore's Chapel, 206 W. Center St., in Fayetteville. Funeral service will be 11:30 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church of Fayetteville, corner of College and Dickson streets, with a burial at Fairview Gardens in Fayetteville immediately following the service. To place an online tribute visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.