Leora Agnes Noe

 Leora Agnes Noe, age 95 years (and one day), passed away at home in Sandpoint on Saturday Oct 13th, 2018.

Leora was born October 12th, 1923 in Notus, ID to Orville and Jane Gahley Atteberry.  As she was the only girl, her brothers Linsy, Charles, Lloyd and Elmo promptly called her Sis, which was her pet name throughout their lives. She was surrounded by many cousins from the Gahley family. The male cousins and brothers frequently accompanied the girls to the community dances, chaperoning carefully. This practice continued until Leora graduated from Wilder High School in May of 1941.

Leora married her sweetheart Lincoln (Link) Noe on March 25th, 1941 and accompanied him on his army assignments as much as possible. Their son Lincoln Richard (Rick) Noe was born on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7^th, 1941 and Leora was fortunate that Link was able to leave his Army unit for a few hours to be with his wife and son in Caldwell. Leora went with Lincoln while he was training in the US, carrying a baby and a suitcase on trains and buses. Leora lived with her parents in Wilder while Link was stationed in the Philippines and gave birth to their daughter Martha Leora on October 2^nd 1943 during this detachment. On September 30^th, 1945, Link returned to Leora and they welcomed another daughter, Bobette Jane, on August 9^th 1947. Leora and Link were inseparable for the rest of their 71 year marriage.

In October 1945, Leora and Link went to work at Simplots in Caldwell, where Leora became JR Simplot’s switchboard operator and had some cute stories to tell about her job. The family lived in Army housing in Caldwell for two years before buying a home in Wilder and working for the Boise Payette Lumber Company, which transitioned to Boise Cascade, then Bestway Building Center, and finally Wilder Building Center when Leora and Link purchased it in 1970. After their purchase, Leora transitioned from bookkeeper to an expert in every task necessary to successfully manage a lumber yard, including providing camaraderie.

 It’s almost impossible to say Leora without the name Link, as they were truly a pair. Leora worked alongside Link as well as bowled, fished, hunted, rode motorcycles, snowmobiled and went deep sea fishing They enjoyed attending football, basketball and baseball games and fundraisers at Wilder High School and had numerous booster jackets their granddaughters loved to borrow at every opportunity. Things Leora enjoyed independently included her women’s bowling league and Rebekahs. Leora was proud to be a Rebekah and worked her way through the chairs to become Noble Grand of the Wilder chapter.

In 1974, Leora designed her dream house and had it built on her hill overlooking the Boise River. She lived there until 2014, when health issues required her and Martha, her daughter and friend, to move to Sandpoint to be near more of her family, who were delighted and honored to have her near.

Leora and Link retired in 1986 and sold their beloved lumber yard to Duane and Helen Noe, knowing that their “baby” would be safe in their hands. They bought their “tin castle” and spent winters in Mesa, AZ in a cul-de-sac inhabited by their cousins and friends. Leora’s brothers Linsy and Elmo also lived in Mesa with their wives Cleo and Marge. Leora spent many days with Marge searching the flea markets for treasures.

Leora was preceded in death by her parents, Orville and Jane; brothers Linsy, Lloyd, Charles and Elmo; daughter-in-law Orleen Noe; and granddaughter Niko Noe. She is survived by son Lincoln R and daughter-in-law Janis Noe of Marysville, WA; daughters Martha Noe of Sandpoint, ID and Bobette and son-in-law Bill Dowling of Sandpoint, ID; granddaughters Yvonne Gahley of Eugene, OR, Tiffany Dye of Lewiston, ID, Hilary Nickum of Hailey, ID, Lanei Brown of Lynnwood, WA, and Lauri Nichols of Lake Forrest Park,WA ; and nine great grandchildren.

There will be a private interment in Wilder Cemetery at a future date.