Kenneth Earl Noland

Kenneth Earl Noland passed away on August 4, 2024 at Peace Hospice in Great Falls, MT after a year- long battle with cancer.

He was born on November 24,1934 in Hollywood, CA to parents Paul and Adelaide (Young) Noland. The family moved to Great Falls in 1945 where Ken graduated from Great Falls High School in 1952. He married Jane Olson in 1954 and they had two children, Dan and Brett Noland. They later divorced. Ken graduated from the University of Idaho and became an accountant/comptroller for Shell Oil, ARCO and later Campbells Soup. During this time, he lived in many locations around the country, including WA, NY, TX, OK, CA and PA. In 1973 he had an opportunity to travel internationally when he was sent on a business assignment to Indonesia. He left the corporate world in the late 1980's and became a small business owner, opening a furniture store in the Baltimore/Annapolis area. In the early 1990’s Ken returned to California where he opened an accounting and tax consulting business. He sold part of the business in 2019 but kept a few select clients that he served until retiring in early 2024.

Ken was an avid sailor and enjoyed hosting sailing trips with friends and family. Over the years, he enjoyed sailing in the Chesapeake Bay area and along the southern California coast, including many tripsto Catalina Island. For several years, Ken lived full time on his sailboat in the harbor at Long Beach, CA.

More recently, Ken became a “snowbird” and traveled between his home base in Great Falls and Tucson. He made a number of road trips exploring Arizona and spent time reacquainting himself with Montana.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents and younger sister, Cathy Mace. He is survived by his younger brother, Richard (Pam) Noland of Austin, TX and brother-in-law, Richard Mace of Portland, OR. He is also survived by his sons, Dan (Mary) Noland of Great Falls, MT and Brett (Penny) Noland of Geyser,MT; five grandchildren, Katelyn Noland, Keegan (Jen) Noland, Ben (Hallie) Noland,  Jacob (Miranda) Noland and Johanna (Alex) Bules; eight great-grandchildren; seven nieces and nephews; cousin, Diane (Dale) Eleniak of Simi Valley, CA; and special friend, Pahl Newlon of Tucson, AZ.

A private family service has been planned.

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