Bill Noël
Encyclopedia
William Douglas Noël, known as Bill Noël (May 11, 1914–January 9, 1987), was an independent oilman, industrialist, banker, rancher, philanthropist, and civic leader in Odessa
, Texas
.
, the son of Earnest Noël and the former Inez Turnpaugh. Orphaned at the age of six, he was reared by grandparents and an aunt and an uncle. In 1931, Noël graduated from high school in Fort Worth. In 1935, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration
degree from the University of Texas at Austin
. Thereafter, he worked as a roustabout for Gulf Oil Company. In 1936, he moved to the Permian Basin
of West Texas
to work as a chemist in the Gulf Oil Wickett refinery. His extensive endeavors in all phases of oil production soon transformed the Odessa economy into a major petrochemical complex.
Noël also became involved in banking and ranching throughout Texas. With Earl G. Rodman, Sr. (1896–1976),, Noël in 1956 co-founded the American Bank of Commerce in Odessa. In time, he acquired major interest in banks in Big Spring
, Fort Worth, Lubbock
, San Angelo
, and San Antonio
. In 1973, when three Noël-Rodman banks merged, Noël became a director of Texas Commerce Bancshares of Houston.
In 1940, Noël moved to McCamey
, now known as the "Wind Energy Capital of Texas," located in Upton County
. There he joined M. H. McWhirter of Monahans
and J. B. Tubb of Crane County to establish the Trebol Oil Company. Noël worked long hours for Trebol. Trebol drilled fifty-two consecutive producing wells before it struck a dry hole. Noël was so consumed with pursuits of the business that he claimed to have been unaware that he had become a millionaire until several years after the accumulation of his early fortune.
In 1957, Noël and Rodman founded West Texas Gathering Company, which resold natural gas
to residential customer of two other companies. The partners further drilled discovery wells in two fields in Upton County.
In 1975, Noël purchased Fort Terrett Ranch in Sutton County near Junction
, Texas. On this ranch, Noël grew Texas pecan
s as a commercial food source in an orchard of 120 acres (485,623.2 m²). He also owned orchards in Upton and Comanche
counties.
In 1963, Noël was named "Outstanding Citizen" of Odessa. That same year he was elected to the Hall of Fame of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum
in Odessa's sister city of Midland
. In 1985, UT named Noël a distinguished alumnus.
, which opened in Odessa with barely a thousand students in 1973. In 1974, Noël and his wife, the former Ellen Witwer (March 21, 1914–May 1, 2008), with an initial outlay of $245,525, endowed the Ellen and Bill Noël Scholarship Fund at UTPB. Noël wanted to assist the children of his employees attending UTPB and to boost enrollment on the then fledgling campus. In an interview, Noël acknowledged that his opportunity to attend college had been essential to his own success: 'I've always felt like that was something that needed to be repaid." The Noëls endowed the position of the Ellen and Bill Noël Distinguished Professor for Energy Research, recently held by Dr. Mike Robinson. The couple also underwrote scholarships at the community college
, Odessa College
, and contributed to the establishment of the Globe Theatre of the Great Southwest
, patterned after William Shakespeare
's Globe Theater and located on the Odessa College campus.
Bill and Ellen Noël had two daughters. Lissa N. Wagner of Midland and Sherwood Noel McGuigan of Durango
, Colorado
, and six grandchildren. The couple was Presbyterian. Noël died of cancer in Odessa at the age of seventy-two. His wife died in her Odessa home twenty-years later.
, Oklahoma
, and a graduate of Duke University
in Durham
, North Carolina
, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma
. Early in her career, she taught school while the couple lived in McCamey, Texas. In time, she became a philanthropist in her own right. In 1993, Mrs. Noël contributed $1 million to establish the UTPB "Support for Excellence Fund," which is invested in the university's long-term account. A veteran supporter of the arts, she is the namesake of the Ellen Noël Art Museum of the Permian Basin, located adjacent to the Presidential Museum and Leadership Library
. She co-sponsored the creation of the Noël Heritage Plaza in downtown Odessa. She was active in the Midland/Odessa Symphony & Chorale, the Permian Playhouse, the White-Pool House
Museum, and the Parker Ranch House on the UTPB campus, Mrs. Noël also contributed funds for the Ellen and Bill Noël Therapy Center at High Sky Children's Ranch in Midland. She was one of the first woman directors of the Salvation Army
in Odessa.
UTPB's Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center is a state-of-the-art music and theater complex, next to the UTPB Center for Energy and Economic Diversification, is located midway between Odessa and Midland. It is scheduled for completion in 2012. Upon her death, Mrs. Noël donated to UTPB their estate, "Noël Oaks" at 2540 Palo Verde Drive in Odessa. Though the large Noël home had been intended for use as the president's residence, rising maintenance costs prompted the university to place the house on the market in June 2009 at an asking price of $2.1 million. When sold, proceeds were to be diverted to the Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center, according to UTPB president David Watts.
Upon Mrs. Noël death, the Odessa American
wrote in an editorial in her honor:
"She was the epitome of grace and good taste. She was a tireless community leader and perhaps the most philanthropic citizen and arts patron to ever call Odessa home. ... Drive around Odessa and just take a look at all the things that benefited from the generosity of both Noëls. Theaters, museums, the Salvation Army, Harmony Home: The list could go on forever. And then think about how many wonderful deeds were done quietly and anonymously. Because that's really how Ellen Noël worked her magic. She was not a giver who insisted on having her name tied to her good deeds. In fact, she really didn't want the Ellen Noël Art Museum to be named after her and had to be talked into it. Gracious and generous. There is no way to account for all of the generous donations made by the Noëls behind the scenes. There are simply too many. Her wonderful example of generosity and volunteerism has set a high standard in Odessa for philanthropists and volunteers."
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Background
Noël was born in Fort WorthFort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, the son of Earnest Noël and the former Inez Turnpaugh. Orphaned at the age of six, he was reared by grandparents and an aunt and an uncle. In 1931, Noël graduated from high school in Fort Worth. In 1935, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration
The Bachelor of Business Administration is a bachelor's degree in Commerce and business administration. In most universities, the degree is conferred upon a student after four years of full-time study in one or more areas of business concentrations; see below...
degree from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. Thereafter, he worked as a roustabout for Gulf Oil Company. In 1936, he moved to the Permian Basin
Permian Basin
The Permian Basin is a sedimentary basin largely contained in the western part of the U.S. state of Texas and the southeastern part of the state of New Mexico. It reaches from just south of Lubbock, Texas, to just south of Midland and Odessa, extending westward into the southeastern part of the...
of West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
to work as a chemist in the Gulf Oil Wickett refinery. His extensive endeavors in all phases of oil production soon transformed the Odessa economy into a major petrochemical complex.
Noël also became involved in banking and ranching throughout Texas. With Earl G. Rodman, Sr. (1896–1976),, Noël in 1956 co-founded the American Bank of Commerce in Odessa. In time, he acquired major interest in banks in Big Spring
Big Spring, Texas
Big Spring is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Texas, United States, at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 87 and Interstate 20. With a population of 25,233 at the 2000 census, it is the largest city between Midland to the west, Abilene to the east, Lubbock to the north, and San Angelo...
, Fort Worth, Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, San Angelo
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
, and San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. In 1973, when three Noël-Rodman banks merged, Noël became a director of Texas Commerce Bancshares of Houston.
In 1940, Noël moved to McCamey
McCamey, Texas
McCamey is a city in Upton County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,805 at the 2000 census. The Texas legislature has declared McCamey "the Wind Energy Capital of Texas" because of the many wind farms that have been built in the area. Its history, however, is primarily that of an oil...
, now known as the "Wind Energy Capital of Texas," located in Upton County
Upton County, Texas
Upton County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 3,404. Its county seat is Rankin. The county is named for two brothers: John C. and William F. Upton, both Colonels in the Confederate army....
. There he joined M. H. McWhirter of Monahans
Monahans, Texas
Monahans is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, Texas, United States. A very small portion of the city extends into Winkler County. The population was 6,821 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and J. B. Tubb of Crane County to establish the Trebol Oil Company. Noël worked long hours for Trebol. Trebol drilled fifty-two consecutive producing wells before it struck a dry hole. Noël was so consumed with pursuits of the business that he claimed to have been unaware that he had become a millionaire until several years after the accumulation of his early fortune.
Business ventures
In 1946, Noël and Earl Rodman also formed a partnership with the purchase of a refinery, which they named the Odessa Natural Gasoline Company.In 1957, Noël and Rodman founded West Texas Gathering Company, which resold natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
to residential customer of two other companies. The partners further drilled discovery wells in two fields in Upton County.
In 1975, Noël purchased Fort Terrett Ranch in Sutton County near Junction
Junction, Texas
Junction is a city in and the county seat of Kimble County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,618 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Texas. On this ranch, Noël grew Texas pecan
Pecan
The pecan , Carya illinoinensis, is a species of hickory, native to south-central North America, in Mexico from Coahuila south to Jalisco and Veracruz, in the United States from southern Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana east to western Kentucky, southwestern Ohio, North Carolina, South...
s as a commercial food source in an orchard of 120 acres (485,623.2 m²). He also owned orchards in Upton and Comanche
Comanche County, Texas
Comanche County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 14,026. Comanche was founded in 1856. Comanche is named for the Comanche Native American tribe...
counties.
In 1963, Noël was named "Outstanding Citizen" of Odessa. That same year he was elected to the Hall of Fame of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum
Permian Basin Petroleum Museum
The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum is a museum in Midland, Texas, USA, with exhibits relating to the oil and gas industry of the Permian Basin of west Texas and southeast New Mexico. Museum exhibits include the geology of the area during the Permian period, racing cars designed by Jim Hall, and...
in Odessa's sister city of Midland
Midland, Texas
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
. In 1985, UT named Noël a distinguished alumnus.
Civic endeavors
Noël worked to establish the University of Texas of the Permian BasinUniversity of Texas of the Permian Basin
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is located in Odessa, Texas. It was authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1969 and founded in 1973...
, which opened in Odessa with barely a thousand students in 1973. In 1974, Noël and his wife, the former Ellen Witwer (March 21, 1914–May 1, 2008), with an initial outlay of $245,525, endowed the Ellen and Bill Noël Scholarship Fund at UTPB. Noël wanted to assist the children of his employees attending UTPB and to boost enrollment on the then fledgling campus. In an interview, Noël acknowledged that his opportunity to attend college had been essential to his own success: 'I've always felt like that was something that needed to be repaid." The Noëls endowed the position of the Ellen and Bill Noël Distinguished Professor for Energy Research, recently held by Dr. Mike Robinson. The couple also underwrote scholarships at the community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
, Odessa College
Odessa College
Odessa College is a public two-year junior college based in Odessa, Texas, USA serving the people of Ector County and the Permian Basin. It opened in 1952 and currently enrolls about 5,000 annually in its university-parallel and occupational/technical courses, and 11,000 students annually in its...
, and contributed to the establishment of the Globe Theatre of the Great Southwest
Globe of the Great Southwest
Located in Odessa, Texas, the Globe of the Great Southwest is a replica of William Shakespeare's original Globe Theatre. In addition, the complex also features a replica of Anne Hathaway's Cottage. Both buildings are located on the campus of Odessa College....
, patterned after William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's Globe Theater and located on the Odessa College campus.
Bill and Ellen Noël had two daughters. Lissa N. Wagner of Midland and Sherwood Noel McGuigan of Durango
Durango, Colorado
The City of Durango is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau said that the city population was 16,887 in 2010 census.-History:...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and six grandchildren. The couple was Presbyterian. Noël died of cancer in Odessa at the age of seventy-two. His wife died in her Odessa home twenty-years later.
Ellen Witwer Noël
On May 24, 1937, Noël married the former Ellen Witwer, a native of TulsaTulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and a graduate of Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma
Kappa Kappa Gamma
Kappa Kappa Gamma is a collegiate women's fraternity, founded at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois, USA. Although the groundwork of the organization was developed as early as 1869, the 1876 Convention voted that October 13, 1870 should be recognized at the official Founders Day, because no...
. Early in her career, she taught school while the couple lived in McCamey, Texas. In time, she became a philanthropist in her own right. In 1993, Mrs. Noël contributed $1 million to establish the UTPB "Support for Excellence Fund," which is invested in the university's long-term account. A veteran supporter of the arts, she is the namesake of the Ellen Noël Art Museum of the Permian Basin, located adjacent to the Presidential Museum and Leadership Library
Presidential Museum and Leadership Library
The Presidential Museum and Leadership Library is a museum and library complex located in Odessa, Texas, on the campus of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Unlike the many presidential libraries, the museum is dedicated to the office of the President of the United States, rather than...
. She co-sponsored the creation of the Noël Heritage Plaza in downtown Odessa. She was active in the Midland/Odessa Symphony & Chorale, the Permian Playhouse, the White-Pool House
White-Pool House
The White-Pool House is a historic structure in Odessa, Texas, included on the National Register of Historic Places. It was opened to the public in 1984, and retains many of its original furnishings and some rotating exhibits....
Museum, and the Parker Ranch House on the UTPB campus, Mrs. Noël also contributed funds for the Ellen and Bill Noël Therapy Center at High Sky Children's Ranch in Midland. She was one of the first woman directors of the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
in Odessa.
UTPB's Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center is a state-of-the-art music and theater complex, next to the UTPB Center for Energy and Economic Diversification, is located midway between Odessa and Midland. It is scheduled for completion in 2012. Upon her death, Mrs. Noël donated to UTPB their estate, "Noël Oaks" at 2540 Palo Verde Drive in Odessa. Though the large Noël home had been intended for use as the president's residence, rising maintenance costs prompted the university to place the house on the market in June 2009 at an asking price of $2.1 million. When sold, proceeds were to be diverted to the Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center, according to UTPB president David Watts.
Upon Mrs. Noël death, the Odessa American
Odessa American
The Odessa American is a newspaper based in Odessa, Texas, that serves Odessa as well as the rest of Ector County.The newspaper has daily editions and Sunday Editions ....
wrote in an editorial in her honor:
"She was the epitome of grace and good taste. She was a tireless community leader and perhaps the most philanthropic citizen and arts patron to ever call Odessa home. ... Drive around Odessa and just take a look at all the things that benefited from the generosity of both Noëls. Theaters, museums, the Salvation Army, Harmony Home: The list could go on forever. And then think about how many wonderful deeds were done quietly and anonymously. Because that's really how Ellen Noël worked her magic. She was not a giver who insisted on having her name tied to her good deeds. In fact, she really didn't want the Ellen Noël Art Museum to be named after her and had to be talked into it. Gracious and generous. There is no way to account for all of the generous donations made by the Noëls behind the scenes. There are simply too many. Her wonderful example of generosity and volunteerism has set a high standard in Odessa for philanthropists and volunteers."