Encyclopedia · Biography

Edward Noble

Developer, philanthropist, and Heritage Foundation founding supporter

Personal details

Full name: Edward Everett Noble
Born: 1928 · Ardmore, Oklahoma
Died: December 4, 2016 · Atlanta, Georgia
Parents: Lloyd Noble; Vivian Noble
Siblings: Sam Russel Noble; Richard Noble; Ann Noble Brown
Education: St. John’s Military Academy (attended); University of Oklahoma, B.S. geology
Religion: Member of Church of the Apostles, Atlanta
Spouses: LaVerne Estes (earlier marriage); Maria Noble (wife at death)
Children: Vivian Noble DuBose; obituary also lists Ben Noble without specifying the relationship
Military: Attendance at military academy; no armed forces service confirmed
Career: Oil-field worker; Lenox Square developer; Noble Inns and Noble Properties executive; U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation chairman (1981–1986)

Edward Everett Noble (1928–2016) was an American commercial developer, oil-industry executive, philanthropist, and founding supporter of the Heritage Foundation. He developed Lenox Square shopping center in Atlanta and later chaired the federal Synthetic Fuels Corporation.

Family and education

Noble was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma, to oil businessman and philanthropist Lloyd Noble and Vivian Noble. He was one of four children. He attended St. John’s Military Academy in Wisconsin, then earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of Oklahoma.

His earlier marriage was to LaVerne Estes. His later wife was Maria Noble. Public obituaries name his daughter Vivian Noble DuBose; the names and relationships of all other family survivors require care when reconstructing a complete children’s list.

Business career

Noble worked as a youth in retail, ranching and oilfield jobs. He joined Samedan Oil Corporation in West Texas following graduation and moved to Atlanta in the 1950s. He developed Lenox Square, which opened in 1959 and became a major retail center in the Buckhead district.

He subsequently developed hotels through Noble Inns Corporation and led Noble Properties, Inc. He also worked on commercial development in Norman, Oklahoma. He served on the board of the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation from 1951 to 2003 and as a director of Noble Affiliates.

Public service and philanthropy

President Ronald Reagan appointed Noble to work on the U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation. Noble chaired the corporation from 1981 to 1986.

Noble was among the early founders and supporters of the Heritage Foundation, established by Edwin Feulner and Paul Weyrich in 1973. Feulner stated that Noble had been a friend and adviser since the early 1960s and that he sought Noble’s counsel after becoming Heritage president in 1977.

Noble served on boards including Pace Academy, Oglethorpe University, Piedmont Hospital Foundation, the Hoover Institution, the Southeastern Legal Foundation, and Georgia Public Policy Foundation. He belonged to Church of the Apostles in Atlanta.

Documented relationships

His institutional connection with Heritage overlaps with early financial supporters Joseph Coors and Richard Mellon Scaife. This is a documented common affiliation, not evidence of personal collaboration outside Heritage.

References

Research compiled through November 12, 2026. Sources and historical roles are dated where known.