Clarence Richard Nobles Sr.

Clarence Richard Nobles Sr., of Hartshorn, Oklahoma, formerly of Green River, passed away at the age of 89 on May 22 at the VA Hospital in Maskogee, Oklahoma of heart disease.

Born Feb. 1, 1932 in Sasakwa, Oklahoma to Thomas and Lola Nobles. Siblings include LaVerne, Roger, Lola Mae, Shirley, Jack, Tommy and Lewis. Jack is the only surviving member.

Clarence was born in a time of coal mining and share-cropping in rural Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The family moved many times in his childhood. Being without phone service, his father would show up one day with a wagon and move the family to a new location with little or no notice. His father would be gone for months at a time working, leaving his family to share crop and doing their best to live off the land.

His mother kept a huge garden, raised pigs yearly and foraged for the bounty the country had to offer. The kids fished, farmed and helped their mother with all the chores needed to run the household.

When Clarence was 14, he went to work with his father in the coal mines. They were living in the area of McAllester, Oklahoma at the time, where he grew up.

This started his working career. He worked on the board in Baytown, Texas; potash mines in Carlsbad, New Mexico; Bumblebee Tuna in Astoria, Oregon and Alaska; and finally retired from Allied Chemical in Green River. He was an underground maintenance foreman there.

Clarence served in the Korean War with the Third Division Company as a soldier with the combat engineers.

Most of his duties were driving, laying mines and building concertina. He participated in the Battle of Pork Chop Hill. During the battle, he had used ammo from several guns when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"You okay Army? Don't worry, the Marines are here."

A Marine then jumped into his trench. He said he had never been so grateful to see a Marine in his life.

Since he was one of the few in his company who could drive, he was called on to drive officers and USO show stars around.

These stars included Marilyn Monroe. The got one show out just before the area was bombed.

Clarence married Lessie Russell Bennett in 1958. She brought her children Jimmy Bennett, Carol Lowder and Ernest Bennett to the union. They had Clarence Richard in 1961. Lessie passed away in 2011.

They had grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Clarence enjoyed motorcycles in his young adult life.

He went to local dance halls when touring musicians such as Ernest Tubb and Hank Williams were on the back road circuits. He also enjoyed fishing, big game hunting, camping, beekeeping and woodworking.

Clarence was a good man, with a ready smile and willing hands to help anyone in need. He is missed by many.