DICK NOOE

Dick was born December 3, 1931 to David Chalmers Nooe and Nellie Katherine Nooe in Bend, Oregon.  He grew up in central Oregon, a free spirit, fishing, hiking and skiing.  He climbed all of the mountains in the Cascade Range with his beloved mother and his aunt Mary Brown.  As a child, he explored the Redmond Caves and excavated an extensive collection of ancient Native American artifacts, in which he took great pride and added to over the years.  He was an all-around athlete and the most valuable player on his high school football team.  At the University of Central Oregon, he found that he was a “Little fish in a big pond,” on the football team and was more interested in partying than studying. He soon decided to join the Marine Corps to fight for his country during the Korean War. 

On July, 1953, at the age of 21, one day before the armistice was signed, the outpost where he was sergeant commander of a machine gun squad was overrun by the enemy.  His injuries resulted in the total loss of his sight and he was awarded the Purple Heart Medal and the Marksman's Medal. After spending the next year in and out of hospitals, he ended up at Hines VA Blind Center for rehab in Chicago, IL where he met Sara Jane Scatchell, a Red Cross volunteer. They dated, although it was against the rules, and she became the love of his life.  Together they raised two children and had six grandchildren.  He went on to finish college in Oregon, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, then graduate school at George Washington University in St. Louis.  Dick, Sara, and their baby daughter moved to Topeka, KS where he was employed at the Topeka State Hospital wing of the Menninger Foundation as a psychiatric social worker.  While in Kansas, he was involved in the Civil Rights Movement and many other volunteer organizations.  1966, he won the national Blinded Veteran of the Year award.  The family, now including a son, moved to Neenah WI so Dick could return to the fishing and winter sports he had loved in Oregon and so Sara could be nearer to her family in Chicago. 

In 1969, he and a good friend, Ed Faulkner, founded the Big Brothers of the Fox Valley Region.  Through this organization, he had three little brothers over the years - Jim, Kevin and Jeremy - and volunteered as the head of the screening committee.  In 1977 he won the National Big Brother of the Year Award which was presented to him by President Gerald Ford. He also helped establish the Youth Go organization for teens in Neenah.

He worked for 25 years as Chief Social Worker at the Winnebago Co. Mental Health Clinic.  He taught social work part time at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and worked at Winnebago County Mental Health institute.  During the 1980s, Dick contracted with the VA to provide readjustment counseling to returning war veterans.  During the next 30 years, he helped hundreds of veterans, mostly from the Vietnam Nam era.   Many said he saved their lives or marriages. He continued work as a psychotherapist until just two years ago. For 15 years, he contracted with Reach Counseling in Neenah, where he and his daughter worked as co-therapists, a dream come true for both of them.  Until last year, he ran a low vision support group at the Goodwill building in Menasha.  He had a passion for helping people and stopped working only when forced to by pain.

He trained at the Milton Erickson Foundation in clinical hypnosis, then later learned stage hypnosis for entertainment.  To our knowledge, he was the world's only blind stage hypnotist.

Despite being blind, he downhill skied and had no absolutely no fear. He was a member of Blind Outdoor Leisure Development.  With his family, he returned to climbing the Cascade Mountains he so dearly loved.  He was a strong swimmer and swam at the Neenah YMCA for years where he was a member of the 500 mile club.  He best loved swimming in the ocean.   He also ran local marathons and continued to fly fish - one of his most loved hobbies.   A few years ago, he did a televised fly tying demonstration for Ducks Unlimited.   He downhill and waterskied well into his 70s.  He coached his son's flag football team and for 15 years was Santa Claus in the annual Appleton Christmas parade.    

Dick's proudest accomplishment was his 61 year marriage to Sara, his Sari-Pie, his love. 

He and Sara most loved spending time with family whether at their cottage, or vacationing with the whole gang.   He constantly supported and encouraged his children, grandchildren, and others in all their many interests.  He was also a great teacher and involved us all in his own interests.

He stayed in touch with his high school friends and began attending annual reunions of his H-3-5 Marine Corps Battalion.  At his first reunion, he met Ed Murray, the man who saved his life in Korea, and they became fast friends.

He was an avid writer and part of a writing group for many years.  He wrote short, autobiographical stories and just finished his full life story in July, 2017 which was published in the Blinded Veterans Association Bulletin.

He was also an avid collector and was proud of his WWII collection as well as his Native American artifacts, stamps, coins, and marbles.

He is survived by his wife, Sara, his children, Marikathryn Nooe (son-in-law Jim Oakley), and David (daughter-in-law Jenny) Nooe, five grandchildren, Sara Marie (“SMO” according to her grandpa), and Tony (Anthony James Chalmers) Oakley, Christiaan Moore, Nina Rose and Ella Cash Nooe.  He remained close to his former daughter-in-law, Melissa Moore, the mother of his beloved granddaughter Charlotte Anna Nooe, who preceded him in death.  He was also preceded in death by his parents Dave Chalmers and Nellie Katherine, his dear grandmother Dora Tate, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, nieces and nephews. 

The family thanks the many caregivers who helped Dick and Sara live at home as long as possible, including their longtime friends Darlene and Terri, also Angie, Debbie, Jody, Sherry and Paula.  Thanks as well to Heartland Hospice for their comfort care and support.  Thank you to the many wonderful nurses and CNAs at Parkview Health Center.  We wish we could remember all your names, but recognize Jody, Damon, Kay Leigh, Ann and Sarah. 

Dick was a warrior through and through.  He was bigger than life itself and his spirit of determination and love will endure forever through his family.   Husband, Dad, Grandpa, we are so incredibly proud of you and know without a doubt you are proud of us.  We're not sure how to navigate this world without you, but you have taught us well.  You are beloved.

The family requests that attendees wear something red to the funeral.  Years ago, Dick transformed his Korean War trauma into a beautiful cardinal, flying free.  The “Red Bird” has remained his symbol of a life well-lived.  In lieu of flowers a memorial fund will be established. 

A visitation for Dick will be held on Friday, March 2, 2018 at Neenah's Westgor Funeral Home from 3:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. with a prayer service to be held at 7:00 P.M. Visitation will continue Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 9:00 A.M. at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 660 Division St., Neenah. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 A.M., Fr. Dennis Bergsbaken officiating.