Bellevue City Councilmember Phil Noble worked to help homeless

Phil Noble, a three-term Bellevue City Council member, a passionate advocate for the cause of ending homelessness and a devoted father, died unexpectedly Sunday — on Father's Day — from complications from a blood disorder. He was 62.

Mr. Noble, who lived in Bellevue for more than 45 years, served on numerous boards and commissions, with a special focus on human services and transportation issues. He was involved in community service all his life, and was "dedicated to the public arena," said Mike Creighton, a former Bellevue council member and longtime friend.

Creighton said Mr. Noble was a quiet, thoughtful man who worked tirelessly on issues such as homelessness. "He'd get in there and get the job done," Creighton said.

He served on both the Eastside Human Services Forum and the governing board of the King County Committee to End Homelessness.

His wife, Shelley, said her husband felt strongly about people who were less fortunate because he had seen the city grow and develop, and along with it the needs of Bellevue families, too.

"To an extent that he could, he could be a voice and a help to anybody needing human services," she said. Shelley Noble also worked in human services, for Hopelink, the largest nonprofit social-services group on the Eastside, and retired a year ago.

Mr. Noble understood that even in the suburbs, there are people in need of help, said Bill Block, project director of the Committee to End Homelessness. "He had a real empathy for everyone who struggled to make their lives work," Block said. Other city leaders echoed Block's sentiments about Mr. Noble.

"He really cared about people having an opportunity to improve their lives," Bellevue Mayor Grant Degginger said.

"When it came to social issues, he had a heart of gold," Bellevue City Manager Steven Sarkosy said.

He also was a good bridge player and loved to go camping with his family. "We spent many a Memorial Day weekend at Lake Chelan, rain or shine — more often rain than shine," Creighton said with a chuckle.

"He was a great dad," Shelley Noble said. "He was definitely a family man and loved his children very much."

Mr. Noble graduated from Sammamish High School and the University of Washington, where he earned his law degree. He most recently served as an administrative-law judge after a long career as a partner in a private law firm.

He served eight years on the Bellevue School Board, twice as president. He also served on the Bellevue Transportation Commission for eight years before being elected to the City Council in 1999. He served as deputy mayor for two years.

Mr. Noble is survived by his wife; a daughter, Andrea; and a son, Mike. Services are pending.

Katherine Long: 206-464-2219 or klong@seattletimes.com