World War II vet, Purple Heart recipient
Published in the February 3, 2016 edition
SOLOMONS, Md. – Harold “Skee” Cameron Noel, 99, passed away at his home in Solomons, Md. on Sunday evening Jan. 24. Skee, born in Revere and was a long time resident of Wakefield before moving to Asbury-Solomons in 1999. He was widowed from the late Alice Marie Noel, his wife of 64 years, in 2007.
Skee was a World War II veteran, who served as a navigator on a B-24 with the 15th AAF, 464th bomb group, 777th squadron flying several missions out of Africa and Southern Italy. He was a Purple Heart recipient and was a POW at Stalag Luft III in Sagan, the prison camp which achieved notoriety in the movie The Great Escape.
Following the war, Skee had a long successful career as a painting contractor helping to manage E. J. Noel & Sons, Inc., the company started by his father. The company did commercial painting jobs in the Boston area and neighboring states and at times employed up to 200 employees.
Skee enjoyed wintering in Naples, Fla. and spent much time during the summers as an avid yachtsman on his boat based at Pier 7 in Gloucester. Prior to the onset of visual problems in his later years, Skee’s hobby was photography. As a young man, he earned money as a free lance photographer for the local Boston newspapers.
He was the 59th president of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanics Association, a benevolent organization whose founder and first president was Paul Revere. He is a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. Mr. Noel is a lifetime member of the First Parish Congregational Church of Wakefield and upon moving to Maryland attended the Trinity United Methodist Church of Prince Frederick.
Skee is survived by his son Dr. Robert H. Noel and daughter-in-law Nancy W. Noel of Severna Park, Md.; and by his daughter Nancy E. Noel of Annapolis, Md. A service and celebration of Skee’s life is planned for Friday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. at Asbury-Solomons in Solomons, Md. Having been cremated, the remains of he and his wife Alice will be laid to rest in a military ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
