Agnes Noel

7/1/1931 — 7/15/2023

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Agnes Nell Carpenter Noel, 92, of Clarkston, passed away Saturday, July 15, 2023, at the beautiful Hill House Memory Care Facility in Moscow where they treated her like family.

Agnes was born to Cecil Binona “Ben” Carpenter and Alice “Ted” Nell Forsman Carpenter on July 1, 1931. She grew up on Sweetwater Creek and went to school at the old Snow School House on the Flat Iron. She was raised near her many aunts and uncles whose homes were scattered around the Craig Mountain and Tammany area. She finished high school at Lapwai where she graduated with honors in 1949. Agnes met the love of her life, Louis William “Bill” Noel, on a blind date. They married soon after on Aug. 30, 1951. The same year they were married, Bill was drafted into the U.S. Army and they moved to Fort Hood, Texas. Upon Bill’s discharge in 1954, they returned to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley where Agnes worked at Household and American Finance.

Upon the birth of her children, Agnes decided to devote her time and energies to her family, and left the workplace to become a “stay at home mom.” In her free time, she would read the Antique Trader cover to cover, studying any and all antique books she could get her hands on. She and Bill started going to local auction houses and yard sales buying up antiques and putting them in storage. This new found interest led Bill to attend auctioneering school in 1973. That same year, the two of them started Auction West. In 1979 they converted the garage into an antique shop and opened all those barrels of antiques that were hidden away. They named the shop Antiques West. With all her knowledge from studying and collecting antiques she became a highly sought after appraiser which added another dimension to Auction West. Agnes was very talented and enjoyed toll painting, rug hooking and quilting. She also did all the painting on Bill’s wood carvings. In their spare time they loved to square dance and were members of the local square dance club.

Bill and Agnes were married 69 years at the time of Bill’s passing. They enjoyed traveling across the Pacific Northwest, as well as the East Coast, having many adventures in the process. Some of their favorite memories were traveling while searching for antiques and covered bridges.

Agnes was fortunate to be able to live her life doing what she enjoyed and even more fortunate to have a loving spouse who shared her interests. Bill participated in her passion not only for antiques but also her personal art endeavors. Bill and Agnes, without question, complimented each other in many ways.

Agnes was preceded in death by her parents, Ben and Alice Carpenter; husband Bill Noel, and daughter, Susan Noel Benscoter.

Survivors include son, Michael Noel; daughter-in-law, Shirley Walters Noel; son-in-law Kelly (Opie) Benscoter; grandchildren, Christopher Noel, Elizabeth Noel Aldrich (husband, Ryan), and Kelsey Benscoter Olszko (husband Evan); great-grandchildren, RJ and Jamison Aldrich.

The family would like to thank the staff at Hill House Memory Care Facility for all their help and compassion during these last few months. At Agnes’s request, there will be no service.

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