BILL NOELL Jr.

Col. William “Bill” Cedric Noell Jr. of Lexington and Norris Lake, Knoxville, Tenn., died on Feb. 7, 2026, at Carilion Rockbridge Community Hospital following a brief illness.

Bill was born on April 26, 1931, in Birmingham, Ala.  He was the son of Lt. Col. William C. Noell, Virginia Military Institute class of 1924, of Lynchburg and Rosamond McArthur Noell of Birmingham.  Although the family lived in Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., until World War II, Bill spent many of his summers on his grandfather’s family farm at Cifax, Bedford County where the family had settled in 1756 from Essex County.

Bill graduated from George Washington High School in Alexandria.  He enrolled at the VMI, graduating in 1953 with a bachelor of science in chemistry and physics.  He later attended the University of Richmond in the evening division toward a master’s in business administration.  Bill was a member of the VMI Beta Commission of Kappa Alpha Order.

Bill served two years in the United States Air Force and 28 years in the active Air Force Reserve. Bill retired as deputy commander of the 459th, C-130, Tactical Air Lift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., in 1983 with the rank of colonel.

Bill worked for Albemarle Paper/Ethyl Corporation in Richmond and for Virginia Chemicals/Hoecht-Celanese in Portsmouth and in hazardous material consulting under Department of Transportation regulations with chemical companies on the East Coast. He completed his professional career consulting at the Oak Ridge, Tenn., nuclear facilities in the field of hazardous material and low-level radioactive waste packaging and shipping in compliance with DOT regulations.  Bill retired in 2002.

Bill had many great loves in his life, including Judy, oysters, vanilla ice cream, Virginia country ham, peanut butter, the Outer Banks, Noell Harbor at Norris Lake, fixing things, his family, his church communities, VMI, his Brother Rats, dozens of adopted VMI cadets over the decades, the Tennessee Vols and a gin and tonic on a summer day.  Bill served as class agent for the VMI class of 1953 for almost 40 years.  Bill never met a stranger, making friends wherever he went.  We will all miss hearing him tell his stories.

Col. Noell is survived by Judith “Judy” J. Noell, his wife of 35 years; sister Shirley Chaffee of Pleasant Garden, N.C.; sons William C. Noell III (Judy) of Lake Gaston, N.C., James R. Noel (Fonda) of Sterling, John Lee W. Noell (Tracy) of Port Orange, Fla., Christopher B. Noell (Ashley) of Montpelier and Andrew M. Jay (Heidi) of Lexington; daughter Jennifer Jay Beacham (Brad) of Lexington; grandchildren Jordan Noell of Port Orange, Fla., Bobby Noell (Heather) of Suffolk, Sandy Beale (Andy) of Newport News, Shelly Noell of Manassas, Travis Parker (Darcy) of Smith Mountain Lake, Miller and Peyton Jay of Lexington, Jackson (Emma), Addie Jay (Rosser), Judson and Mary Jude Beacham of Lexington; and eight great-grandchildren.

Private burial will be at High Bridge Presbyterian Church cemetery.  A memorial service honoring the life of Colonel William C. Noell Jr. will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at Trinity United Methodist Church with the Rev. Anita E. Mays Lucord officiating.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Virginia Military Institute Alumni Agencies, Post Office Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450-0932.

Arrangements are by Harrison Funeral Home and Crematory.