Debra Nobles

Published 12:00 am Monday, April 27, 2009

JACKSON — Services for Debra Ann Noble, who died on April 23, 2009, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Blacks Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 3425 Robinson Road, Jackson. Services will be under the direction of Westhaven Memorial Funeral Home in Jackson.

Mrs. Noble was born on March 22, 1958, to Lillian Noble and the late Isaac Noble of Natchez. She was born into eternal life April 23, 2009.

During her childhood years she was educated in the Natchez public school district and graduated from North Natchez Adams High School in 1976. She attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College for two years.

In 1978, Debra began working for BellSouth and during that time she joined the Communications Workers of America. Within months she became a job steward. Two years later, she was elected secretary treasurer of the CWA. After the divesture of BellSouth in 1983 she moved to Jackson to pursue a career with AT&T, where she has worked for the past 29 years.

Debra remained active in community and political activities often serving as a poll worker for elections and conducting voter registration drives. She was a member of the N.A.A.C.P., the A.F.L.-C.I.O executive board, vice president of the Central Labor Council, an active member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, a legislative chairperson of CWA Local 3511, and a special assignment organizer for CWA District 3.

She was the recipient of the CWA Norma Powell Award, served two years as a teaching fellow for the National A.F.L.-C.I.O. Organizing Institute, was zone coordinator for the Mississippi Labor 2007 Political Mobilization Plan, and was the recipient of the 2008 Mississippi A.F.L.-C.I.O. Organizing Award.

Debra accepted Christ as her Savior, and was baptized at New Hope Baptist Church Oct. 27, 1991.

She was preceded in death by her father.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory her loving mother Lillian Noble of Natchez; a devoted son, Kendall R. Noble and his wife April of Byram; a grandson, Christopher Zhaire Bell-Noble of Jackson; one brother, Leon Cain of Sacramento, Calif.; five sisters, Bertha Noble of Natchez, Evelyn N. Williams of Irving, Texas, Lillian Potters and her husband Jessie Potters III of Oklahoma City, Okla., Izola N. Taylor of Jackson and Angela Noble of Byram; nine nieces and nephews, Sean Noble of Natchez, Kelvin Knight and his wife Magella of Dallas, Cassandra Knight of Natchez, Kimberly Knight of Hurst, Texas, Jessie Potters IV of Austin, Texas, Trojan Noble of Jackson, Clarence “C.J.” Barnes of Jackson, and dearly beloved Eboné and Kolby Woods of Jackson, seven great nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, close relatives and many friends.