The obituary of John Noble could well have been written in 1963.
For the Fraserburgh dentist had just suffered a massive brain haemorrhage and his family were told he was unlikely to survive.
But thanks to emergency neurosurgery performed at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, and the dedication of John to intensive rehabilitation, he was given a second chance at life.
Living until the age of 86, he went on to rebuild his life, and was best known for running the family-owned Corner Drapery in Fraserburgh.
Born in the Broch
John Taylor Noble was born at home on King Edward Street, on April 29, 1936.
His father, also called John Noble, was the Fraserburgh town chamberlain. His mother, Christina (nee Taylor) was the daughter of Bill Taylor, a ship’s chandler.
John’s younger brother Malcolm was born in 1940 and the family moved to Grattan place the same year.
Fraserburgh Central School, then the town’s academy provided John’s early education, where he was a consistently high performer in every subject.
Life by the sea
Growing up in the Broch meant a childhood by the beach. John learned to swim in the harbour – a skill that earned him medals in local races and competitions.
During the long summer months he would rescue the fishing tackle of visiting holidaymakers to save seagulls getting caught on their baited hooks.
John was known for stepping in to rescue entangled gulls while preserving the fishing tackle. This was both altruistic and entrepreneurial, as it earned him some pocket money at the same time.
‘The Squash’
John’s father was a lay Baptist preacher and as such the family were all raised in the church.
Baptised as a young man himself, John would enjoy their annual trips to the Keswick Convention where Christians from all over the country would gather. On one occasion he made the journey to Cumbria by bike, camping along the way.
Locally, John and other young people met at the Baptist church’s weekly event called “The Squash.” It was there he met – and courted – Patricia Ann Bruce Buchan – known as Patsy.
Her father worked for the town’s Consolidated Pneumatic Works.
While John was studying dentistry at St Andrews University, Patsy was training to become a teacher at Aberdeen.
Starting a family
John graduated in 1960, having excelled with distinction in most subjects.
He and Patsy married in March 1961, at Aberdeen University’s King’s College Chapel.
The newlyweds set up home in Aberdeen and John worked as a probationer in a Torry dental practice. After two years he moved to Albyn Place where he practised with friend Bill Downie.
Patsy and John’s first child, John Stephen, came along in 1963.
However, later that year everything would change for the young family when John collapsed at home.
Brain injury
A massive brain haemorrhage left John’s life hanging in the balance. Told to prepare for the worst, his family had to await the results of emergency neurosurgery at the ARI.
John survived, but he was changed irreparably.
Prolonged rehabilitation, including speech and physiotherapy, followed. He would be picked up daily by ambulance and taken to the hospital for appointments.
One day, however, the family were called by a worried therapist after John set out on foot for home.
From that day onwards he walked back and forth to ARI for his rehabilitation appointments.
Back to the Broch
As a result of the haemorrhage John permanently lost the use of his dominant right hand. His right leg was also weakened and he had word finding difficulties, known as expressive dysphasia.
The culmination meant he could no longer work as a dentist.
Happy news came, however, when daughter Pauline was born in 1965.
And in 1967 the family returned to Fraserburgh.
John became manager, then later co-owner, of the Corner Drapery Store, named for its location on the corner of Cross Street and High Street.
The shop, which remained popular well into the 90s, not only sold women’s clothes, but also children’s attire, crockery, wedding gifts and had an upper floor dedicated to fine millinery.
John sold the shop in 1995 when he retired, having substantially extended the premises some years earlier.
Later life
In retirement, John enjoyed travelling with Patsy, growing roses and apple trees, and spending time with his grandchildren.
In his 80s he sustained two separate hip fractures and was once again given a difficult diagnosis of being unlikely to walk again. But in true John Noble style, however, he did regain the ability to walk.
While his outlook on life and faith changed after the haemorrhage, his resolute determination to get through life without a complaint never waned.
John passed away on July 24, 2022. He was predeceased by Patsy, who died in 2019.
He is survived by his children, seven grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.
Stephen Noble, John’s said: “Not bad for a man they thought would die in 1963.”
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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