Bryant R. Nobles, Jr.

Bryant Reginald "Ray" Nobles Jr., 82, of Shelbyville passed away Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at Decatur County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg. Born December 9, 1926, in Ocala, Florida, he was the son of Bryant R. and Hattie Mae (Fulton) Nobles. He married Angela C. Chasteen on November 11, 2007, and she survives. Other survivors include his children, Paul (wife, Debbie) Nobles of Pensacola, Florida, Sharon Nobles of Tampa, Florida, Benjamin (wife, Amy) Nobles of Loogootee and Trenet (husband, Dr. Jeffrey) Mullins of Eads, Tennessee; sister, Jeanette Guinn of Orange Springs, Florida; and 12 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Louise and Barbara. Mr. Nobles spent his retirement years in Indiana and Florida. He had been a Southern Baptist minister, serving churches in Texas for 15 years, and a Navy Chaplain from April 21, 1967, serving in Vietnam, until retiring as a Commander January 1, 1986. He also was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was awarded the Bronze Star, "V" Vietnam and two Navy Commendation Meals. Mr. Nobles attended Ocala High School in Marion County, Florida, until dropping out in 1945 to join the Army. He returned later and received a GED diploma. He graduated from Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1955; Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, with a master of divinity degree; and received an honorary degree as doctor of philosophy in theology from Jackson Baptist College in Honolulu. Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, November 12 in New Albany National Cemetery in New Albany. Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. Memorial contributions may be made to the Shelbyville American Legion, 1125 S. Miller Ave., Shelbyville, Indiana 46176.