Dear Noble Family,
Last week I spent two afternoons in Edmonds and couldn’t help feeling the loss of your dear parents. Our visits to their condo and nearby restaurants were always so special.
Thinking of you Maurine on your birthday, giving thanks for your dear friendship throughout the years. You are forever in my heart
I found such joy and total acceptance the very first day Maurine and I met, and she will always remain close to my heart. Also, I'm sending loving thoughts and special memories to all of Maurine's family...I miss you, too! Love, Pat Smith
Four years later and you are still missed. What a wonderful gift you were in person and are in memory. PB
Thinking of you fondly today. P.
Thank you Maurine for being a big part of my life in your final years. I received so many gifts from you! Love, P.
I remember two years ago when I got the call from Elin. It still scares me today when I think of you slipping away.
Maurine, I miss you and our long chats—your interest in everything I was doing, your little pointers, your generous spirit. Thank you again for your friendship, encouragement and love.
I taught a quilting class today on the Big Island of Hawaii. Of course, your name came up.
You may be gone from this life but your memory continues to live on.
Peace to you, P.
Maurine,
Happy Birthday, dear friend.
I heard a love song yesterday about how once you lose your girlfriend, that's when you know how much you loved her.
Losing you has been so sad. Yet I know you are at peace. And, there is no back pain where you are now.
Thank you for still being a huge presence in my life. I know you are with me, giving me encouragement as I venture forward.
Love, P.
I spend a whole afternoon looking through old photos of Seatte last Sunday, trying to find those few, and not even good ones showing several Thanksgiving and one Christmas celebration in Ed and Maurine's house that Katharina, my little daughter and I were invited to during our stay in Seattle between 1997 und 2002 when I was working as a German Academic Exchange Professor at the University of Washington. Aunt Hadu from Tübingen in Germany had made the connections to our relatives in Seattle, admiring especially Maurine, praising her famous skills in quilting as well as in leading a culturally interested, open and warmhearted household, that tried to connect people from different angles. I still recall driving though a deserted city on my first trip to Maurine and Ed, picking up Auntie Eve on my way - 100 years old by the time we entered the country and just having opened her last exhibition as a painter in her life. We drove all over Seattle – we lived on the other end in Wedgwood - and I remember my amazement as well as my delight when we finally reached and entered Maurine and Ed’s wonderfully warm home on 70th st. N.W. Katharina was two and a half at the time and immediately welcomed by Diana and Russ’ three little children, playing endlessly with all of them in the wonderworlds of Maurine’s quilting-studio with all its treasures of wonderful fabrics, cozy hiding corners and its stunning all-round view on the Puget Sound. I for my part delighted in the food, a home-made mustard, I had never eaten before or since, a huge turkey – not suitable for a European oven – and, especially, the sausages. I deeply enjoyed and felt welcomed by this generous amd friendly family, in the middle of it all, Maurine of course. How I feared that Maurine and Ed could forget to invite us in future years! But they never did! They even asked us over for a Christmas celebration also including my father and son. – We lost connection when I returned to Germany. Elin was the one who eventually found out where we were. And when she and Lasse came to Berlin from Leipzig at the beginning of this year, I was able to speak to Maurine on the phone as well as to write to both her and Ed during Christmas times and getting news from them, although no good ones about Maurine and her poor health and severe suffering. But nonetheless, I was sure we would manage to meet her again. Sadly enough, it did not happen. Still, Maurine will remain a part of our life and a very good one too. She belongs to the few ones, men or women, that I look up to, knowing there is a lot to learn from them about life. She has enrichted our lives and I thank her for that.
Instead of flowers, there is a German song by Robert Schumann composed on a poem of Joseph von Eichendorff that I would like to send as a last greeting to her from Berlin to Seattle. (There is a wonderful version of Dietrich Fischer-Diskau on Youtube). The song is called “Moonlit Night”:
Mondnacht
Es war, als hätt' der Himmel
Die Erde still geküsst,
Dass sie im Blütenschimmer
Von ihm nun träumen müsst'.
Die Luft ging durch die Felder,
Die Ähren wogten sacht,
Es rauschten leis' die Wälder,
So sternklar war die Nacht.
Und meine Seele spannte
Weit ihre Flügel aus,
Flog durch die stillen Lande,
Als flöge sie nach Haus.
It was like Heaven's glimmer
caressing Terra's skin,
that in Her blossoms' shimmer
She had to dream of Him.
The breeze was gently walking
through wheatfields near and far;
the woods were softly talking
so bright shone ev'ry star.
And, oh, my soul extended
its wings through skies to roam:
O'er quiet lands suspended,
my soul was flying home.
Katharina Neckel and Dagmar Reese, Kleinmachnow, August 25, 2013.
This morning I wrote a statement about my influences as an artist, specifically the influence of asian art. It is for an exhibition opening September 8 at the Ohio Craft Museum in Columbus, Ohio. The exhibition is called, “East and West: Asian Influences on Contemporary American Craft”
What I wrote is a testimony to how my mother embraced life and how I was enriched by her curiosity:
“Asian culture and textiles have held a fascination since my family lived in Okinawa in the late 1960s. We arrived when I was nine years old. What fascinated me more than anything was that the Ryukians, the natives of the island, had a culture of making and reusing. We collected glass that we brought to the glass blowers. They would sort them into colors and melt them down. My Mother would place orders with the glassblowers, with ceramicists, and makers of paper mache toys. Slowly our house became filled with native objects. We were also fascinated by the weavers and the dyers of bingata, and my Mother would buy their cloth. What especially stands out in my memory were the girls and boys day celebrations with colorful kites, dressing up in kimonos, and the display of dolls. Okinawa was a rich world of color, texture and tradition.
We returned to the U.S. when I was twelve. Eventually, as an adult, my interest grew into being a maker and dyer of work inspired by the clamp-resist, itajime shibori textiles of Japan. As a child in Okinawa I spent endless hours folding origami. Similar to origami, itajime shibori is about folding. Itajime clamp-resist shibori is based on folds that mirror themselves, creating a repeat pattern. Historically, the clamp-resist process is thousands of years old and is still practiced in many cultures worldwide. It is a straight forward process embracing simplicity, elegance, dexterity, and complexity.”
We grieve with you at Maurine's untimely passing, yet we remember her with great joy. The picture of Maurine and Janie with stein in hand in the Fest Hall at the Hoff Brau House in Munich during the October Fest in 1957 brings back fond memories. We did a lot of fun things together. We bicycled to the Austrian border of the Tyrol, climbed Mt. Bronick, and listened to good music in our family quarters.
Later, Maureen got Janie interested in quilting. Since then she has produced quilts for our children and each of our eight grandchildren. They all have Maurine to thank for the inspiration. She was a great lady.
Attached is a photo of one of Janie's recent creations, made for her grandson. Enjoy!
I met Maurine (Moe to me) when I affiliated with the Oregon State U. chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority, and where we spent two years together. Probably the most memorable part of our friendship was that I (with the help of my husband, Chuck, who were in the same fraternity) introduced Moe to Ed, and we all know how that came out!
For many years after we parted ways, we both got married, had children, and finally got to meet each other in Chicago, where my in-laws lived, and Moe & Ed were stationed there in the service. We always kept in touch, though, through Christmas cards and finally got together in CA, when Moe and Ed bought a condo in La Quinta, and we wintered in San Diego. It was easy to make up for all the years we were apart, and also be joined with other close AGD sisters living close by. We did this reunion every year for some time and treasured each meeting.
It was only three months ago that we hosted Moe and Ed at our newly acquired retirement community facility in Carlsbad, CA, and had a wonderful two days together. It was overwhelming to learn at this visit of all Moe had been through with her failed back surgery dilemma and all the pain she was still in. It was evident to us that Moe was the bravest and most optimistic person we'd ever known and still looking forward to a long list of things she wanted to accomplish upon getting back to Seattle.
I feel privileged to have Moe as a friend (and sister) and join with her family and those countless others who had her cross their path that she will be sorely missed but never forgotten for the ways she impacted our lives for the better. We can rejoice knowing that she is now out of pain and in a better place and that her legacies will live on forever.
Her loving friend, Margaret (Mickie) Gunn.
Maurine became part of my life, when Russ married my daughter, Diana, in 1986. As co-grandparents over the years, we shared the joys grandchildren bring, when Taylor, Adam and Sierra were born. Maurine spent much time caring and nurturing the grandkids because they each spent at least one day a week with her during their pre-school years
My wife, Belinda, and I live in Houston, but we were able to spend many holidays, vacations and special occasions over the years with Russ, Diana, Taylor, Adam and Sierra – and Maruine and Ed - in Seattle, Houston, or in various vacation spots. When we were altogether, particularly when the grandkids were small, it was obvious they loved their Nama and wanted to be close to her. I remember several occasions during family gatherings Maurine hosted at her house, when the grandkids did not want to stray from her side, she would generously suggest activities for them with us instead, knowing that our time with the grandchildren was limited.
Belinda and I especially appreciated Maurine’s generosity, when she rented a beautiful, large home for several days on the beach at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to celebrate her and Ed’s 50th wedding anniversary. She invited Belinda and me, and our son, René, to join her, Ed, Elin, Lee, Russ, Diana, Taylor, Adam and Sierra for the celebration, and we did. That was one of the most enjoyable vacations we ever had, thanks to Marurine’s kindness and thoughtfulness.
We shared many other extended family gatherings over the years – trips to Cancún, Brownsville, (Texas), Alaska and others – and I will always remember Maurine’s generous nature, no matter what the occasion, or where – her thoughtfulness about the well-being and comfort of all those around her.
Losing my mother at an early age and being raised by my wonderful grandparents - Ed and Dorothy Noble (Ed's Parents) I had in my mind that my mom would have been a twin of Maurine. I love this family and I know that Maurine, being the wonderful person, mother and aunt is the reason why. I have such wonderful memories of her. What an awesome tribute Russ wrote - he is so right on!
I want to express how much I appreciated being included in her life - I loved it when her and Ed would call and say they were heading to California - may we stop by! The memories of growing up-Swedish pancakes, the chinese food that she prepared, graduations, weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, the Christmas stockings she knitted and just getting together to visit will always be in my heart!
Even though the miles were between us I have always felt blessed to be a part of the "Noble" family. Maurine I will miss you!
My Love to you all - Carol
On the afternoon of July 31st, I was teaching a quilting class at Quality Sewing in Everett. Our topic of discussion was finishing quilts, especially those UFOs (UnFinished Objects) that we all have. The book I recommended to my students was Maurine's.
On the very day of her passing, her quilting legacy lives on.
Maurine Noble was so famous when I met her seven years ago that I don't think many people stopped by and bugged her. Not me. Once I met Maurine, I was at her house or on the phone asking for quilting advice.
Somehow when we met, I was ready for someone like Maurine in my life and she was ready for a pesky person like me.
At first our relationship was one of mentor and mentee. Maurine, with her generous teaching spirit, taught me about quilting and more.
Over time, Maurine and I became buddies. We would spend hours chatting. We travelled to Quilt National together. We watched Project Runway, season after season, talking to each other in the commercials. One year my husband and I traveled to California to visit Maurine and Ed in their snowbird setting.
Here are two things that defined Maurine:
The first was her bear-trap memory. Nothing ever got away. I would mention something to her one day and two months later she would ask me about it. I would be surprised that she even remembered the conversation.
The other was her grace under pressure. Maurine’s unbearable pain and endless surgeries can best be described as being between a rock and a hard place in Hell. Never once did she complain as she endured hospital stays, months in nursing homes, torturous procedures, and failed pain relief programs.
I don't think Maurine was ready to say good bye. With her new home and quilt studio, Maurine was looking forward to some one-on-one teaching and finishing up a shelf full of UFOs. But her body just could not live through the pain any longer.
Maurine's life force held out until Elin arrived for a West Coast teaching gig. That way the whole family was able to encircle her as she slipped away. Maurine was always caring, even in her last act.
I'm filled with sorrow at the loss of my buddy. I must hold Maurine in my heart as I move forward but I've got a big hole there right now.
My mother was invincible. She was so strong, yet gentle and compassionate. I remember as a child my friends wanting to come over to my house because she would make cookies and welcome them as if she were their own mother. She would always have arts and crafts projects going in the house. For Valentines Day I was the only one who would take home-made Valentines to school. We would start making our Christmas cards around Thanksgiving, silk-screening, cutting, folding, hand-painting and writing on every one individually. And we made a lot!
Growing up my father was stationed in Vietnam two different times and she raised us alone in our house in Ballard. Never did I hear a complaint about the situation, harsh word or raised voice from her. She raised all three children with love, compassion, understanding and an occasional guilt-trip that kept us in line.
Mom was so unassuming, humble beyond words, yet in charge of everything. She would insist on having family parties at her house for everyone's birthday, Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and any other reason she could possibly think of to get the family together. She would use the fine china, linen napkins, and every dish was served in her endless collection of eclectic pottery. In fact, it became quite comedic that Diana and I would buy her pottery (blue) for her birthday every year and she would always buy Diana and me pottery for our anniversary.
When Diana entered my life, even before we were married, my mother welcomed her into the family and to all our parties with open arms, and treated her like one of her daughters. Every family dinner she hosted included friends and acquaintances she met at church or elsewhere. Her home was always open and welcoming to whoever needed a bed, a meal, and a hug.
As her grandchildren entered her life she insisted on having each one on Tuesdays every week. She spoiled them with pancakes, endless trips to the park , zoo, Science Center, or just sitting on a park bench watching the cars go by and taling about life. They all grew up knowing that they have grandparents who truly love them and valued spending time with them.
My mother was an incredible listener. She never talked about herself first, she always asked about you. She genuinely wanted to know how you were feeling, what interests you had, what you liked, and how she could be of service to you, even if it was just having you over for dinner. She was the most selfless person I have ever known.
I truly lucked out when it comes to the "Mother" category. Maurine embodied the characteristics of a parent who I wanted to become to my children. Her patience, kindness, acceptance of differences in each individual, and true love of family has become the barometer by which I try to live my life. I have a lot to live up to.
Later in life she endured so much pain, so much suffering, but always with grace and courage beyond comparison. I don't know how she got out of bed every day to face another day, but she always did with a smile on her face and ready to inspire and serve everyone around her.
I feel like a lost child looking for my mother. It hurts so deeply knowing I will never be able to hug or kiss her again. I know time will heal some of the void and pain I feel right now, but this cavern will never fully be replenished. I thank the Lord for blessing me with this incredible woman. I weep tears of sorrow, for I will never hear her voice or experience her hug again; yet I also weep tears of joy, for she is relieved of her pain, and God has taken her on her next journey where she can continue to teach, inspire, and love. Godspeed, until we meet again my gentle soul.
I love you eternally Mommy... I miss you beyond words. Your son Bussy Bobo (Russ)
My bet is you've heard people tell stories or even jokes about "mothers-in-law from Hell". Well, this story is about the mother-in-law from the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Russ introduced me to his parents when I was about 16 years old, maybe even 15. He and I met at Plymouth Congregational Church in Seattle and became good friends. Near the end of my junior year of high school my parents moved; my father's job took them to Houston. Of course they tried to get me to go, but I chose to live with another family on Mercer Island and stay put in Washington to finish high school. (Surprise! I never did move to Texas - I fell in love with Russ and that was it!)
Russ started inviting me to his house for many of the holidays. While I saw my own Texas family at Christmastime each year, I spent Thanksgiving, Easter, July 4th and other special days with the Nobles.
It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship and it changed my life forever. Russ and I met in 1980 and were married in 1986. Maurine has been a role model for me ever since. Her generosity, thoughtfulness, creativity, sense of humor and strong commitment to family will be with me always and I will try to live by the example she set.
Some of the things that come to mind when I think of Maurine:
She set the most beautiful table ever.
She had a great laugh.
She had twinkly blue eyes that crinkled just so at the corners when she smiled and laughed.
She was an awesome cook - spaghetti, chicken chow mein, buttermilk biscuits (!), homemade pancakes, pot roast, popovers, Thanksgiving stuffing, baked chicken with mashed potatoes, pumpkin chiffon pie, some cranberry-whipped cream-pineapple-pecan concoction and many more amazing dishes.
She and Ed took care of our children EVERY Tuesday when they were little, before they went off to elementary school. She cooked them what they wanted, took them where they wanted them to go, read them the same books over and over and over until she memorized them, made each of them their own special quilt, taught them to appreciate art and natural beauty and made sure they knew they were smart, special and loved.
She had an amazing memory - we'd look at old photos and she'd remember everyone's name, what year the photo was taken, where it was taken, who was related to whom, who people were married to, what their children's names were...she was a wealth of knowledge.
She offered to teach me how to sew and quilt and I flat out turned her down (nicely of course), but she loved me anyway. It's just not my thing and I know many of you think that is an absolute crying shame, and it is, but she accepted it without question. Instead she shared many of her best recipes with me and I make them all to this day. She may have wondered how it could be possible that her son would marry a woman who does not like doing anything "crafty" or "requires thread or beads or glue or paint", but if she did, she never said a thing. She just treated me like a Princess.
She learned to love my Mexican heritage - traveled to Mexico with us a few times, spent time in Houston with the Tex-Mex crowd and came to thoroughly enjoy all kinds of Mexican food, I mean the real stuff - some of which you don't normally see on menus in Puget Sound.
She frequently showed up with a bottle of wine, flowers, a special dish she made, some cute little thing she picked up somewhere. She liked giving things to others.
She loved her grandchildren more than words can express and she was so proud of them. She told them so over and over in her last hours.
She made me feel like I was her daughter, too.
I have been writing a novel for three years and she read many of my chapters. She was so encouraging and interested in how it was going. I wish I'd finished it before she was gone.
I am beyond grateful that Maurine Leander Noble was my mother-in-law. She taught me so much - maybe not quilting, but about love, compassion, courage in the face of unfair, unforgiving pain, giving and an unwavering commitment to family and friends.
I love you Maurine.
About a year after moving from Alameda to Ventura in Southern CA and recovering from a new divorce I drove from Ventura to Ed and Maurine's house having been asked to stop over with them. I exclaimed upon walking in the door, "I am so tired does anyone want to drive to Seattle with me." Ed and Maurine, giving and loving as always, gave me Russ!! Well not to keep, but drop off at his Grandmothers. It was a life saver, I think we stoped at my sister's in Klamath Falls and we went out to the lava fields which Russ found fascinating and picked up a number of samples, Maurine was never "really" grateful for that collection since I guess they packed them up for a number of moves.
No matter how many years have gone buy, how few our meetings my heart always lifted whenever I thought about all of you and can only think of Maurine with a lift of my heart and a smile. Love, Mary Alegre
Nobody quilted like my Nama did. Intricate patterns and borders, and complex designs. I knew she was one of a kind when I was old enough to understand that quilting is not an easy thing to do. She had unbelievable talent! My grandma is very famous in the quiliting world, she has published 3 books and has travled the world to teach classes.
I always remember receiving quilts from her, and being so excited that she took the time to make a beautiful quilt for me. She would ask me what kind of theme I wanted, when I was younger of course it would be something like faries. My wish was her command!
When I was about 10 years old I remember her asking me if I wanted to help her make a quilt. My response was "Uhh, YAH!" I was so excited to make a quilt with her, this was a memory I will never forget. We went to Northagte and picked up some really cute puppy fabric and soft paw print minky for the back. Then the hard part came...deciding where to lay out all the peices! Nama was an absolute expert with this part, I remember being like "My grandma is so talented!" I still use this blanket today and appreciate all the time she took to help me.
I've made two blankets with my Nama. My puppy blanket, and my favorite blanket! It has many bright colors including purple, green, blue, and yellow. This blanket is my favorite becase it was the last blanket we made together and because there are so many amazing patters to look at. These were some of the best times I spent with my grandma, she was such an amazing teacher and so kind and gentle with me. She never got mad at me for doing something wrong, I wish I could tell her how much this meant to me today.
Nama was so selfless, loving, gentle, kind and compassionate. We need more people like her in our world. We have lost a beautiful soul and she will be forever missed. I am so lucky that I had such a close relationship with her. Nama was the best grandma ANYONE could have ever asked for. I know she loved me, almost as much as I love her.
When I was young, once a week I would get to stay with my grandparents at their house in Ballard instead of going to daycare. These were always my favorite days of the week, because I was greeted with freshly made pancakes for breakfast and I knew they always had something fun planned.
Depending on the weather, and what I asked to do, we would usually have a trip in store for the day. Sometimes it was driving down to Seattle, and taking the trolley to the Aquarium. Sometimes it was walking to the park nearby so I could swing and play on the jungle gym. Sometimes it was taking a quick stroll to the little movie rental store down the road, so we could pick something up for me to watch.
No matter what, though, one thing was always constant: we would walk to the bottom of the street and sit on the bus-stop bench. As cars zoomed past on 32nd Avenue, I would name the colors and sometimes even the type. Whenever a Subaru or a Ford Aerostar would pass, I would say "that car is just like yours!" to which Nama would always say "you're right! You're so smart!"
Because this was a bus-stop bench, whenever a bus on its route saw us sitting there they would slow down to pick us up, thinking we were waiting to go somewhere else. Each time, we waved them off, the motion of our hands telling the driver we didn't want to be anywhere else, and that we were perfectly happy where we were.
I'll always remember that bench, but even more stongly I'll remember that feeling: I don't want to be anywhere else, but with my Nama.
