Cecil Leroy Noble, 83

Cecil Leroy Noble moved onto greener pastures on March 16, 2022. He was 83.

Cecil was preceded in death by his wife Isabel Noble, and his brother Bob Noble.

Cecil is survived by his sister Barbara Couture and his brother Michael Frelich; his son, Jeffrey Noble; daughters, Laurie Merrick (Roger), Stacia McAdams (Mike) and Kelly Pogorelec (David); grandchildren, Khristian Noble (Laura); Spencer Noble (Beth); and stepchildren, Alison Barnes (Dan) and Jonathan Bruce (Cathy) and their families.

Cecil was a fourth-generation Montana cowboy, born and raised in Polson. Cecil was born with horses in his blood and rode horses everywhere as a kid. He and his brother, Bob, would ride their horses a mile or so each way to the one-room Valley View School every day, no matter the weather.

As a young man, he enlisted in the United States Armed Forces and spent two years in France while serving in the Army. He traveled to seven foreign countries. Upon his return, he married Sandra (Schiele) Noble and they spent a couple years in Great Falls. Cecil’s dream was to return to the Flathead area, build a herd of horses, and own his own construction company. By the age of 26, he checked all of these off his list.

After returning to the Flathead Valley, Cecil and his family lived in Somers and Lakeside before settling in Creston on an 80-acre horse ranch. This was the family home until the 1980s, when he and Sandra parted ways.

Cecil spent his early years as a custom home builder in the Flathead Valley and was part owner of Tri-City Lumber Company. Life was good as a home builder, but Cecil’s real passion was horses and the outdoors. In 1972, he quit the home building business and established Lion Creek Outfitters. Cecil spent years outfitting in the Bob Marshall Wilderness guiding people on big game hunts and on summer trips. In 1993, he met and married Isabel Bruce, who left her teaching career and joined Cecil in the outfitting business. In 2005, they sold the outfitting business hoping to retire to a less rugged lifestyle. They purchased property on Patrick Creek and together built their dream business, Artemis Acres Paint Horse Guest Ranch. Isabel passed in 2009 and Cecil continued to build upon their dream by expanding the ranch operations and facilities each year until his passing. He put his heart and soul into each day on the ranch and his soul will remain there in perpetuity.

Services will be held at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home, 525 S. Main Street, Kalispell, Montana 59901 on Thursday, March 24, at 11 a.m. All are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or the American Heart Association.