Dr. Howard Noggle Dies at 88

Dr. Howard Noggle, who often joked that he was Indiana Wesleyan University's only "tenured student," died at 10:30 p.m. Monday (June 11) at Colonial Oaks Health Care Center in Marion. He was 88.

Dr. Noggle was born July 22, 1918, a few weeks before the Wesleyan Methodist Church began raising money to purchase what would become Marion College. His father, Frank Noggle, immediately stepped forward with a $1,000 check, saying he hoped the new college would be a place where his children could be educated.

Marion College opened in 1920, and Dr. Noggle began his tenure as a student in 1936. Once he arrived on campus, he never left, ensuring that the Noggle family name would be indelibly stamped on every page of the 87-year history of the college. Marion College changed its name to Indiana Wesleyan University in July 1988.

By his sophomore year, Noggle was running the college bookstore, which recorded its first profitable year under his leadership. He also had begun recruiting students and, when he graduated in 1940, Dr. Noggle was asked to become IWU's first full-time field representative.

During a career that would span 64 years and five IWU presidents, Dr. Noggle moved from field representative to director of alumni to director of church relations to special assistant to the president. He officially ended his paid employment on June 30, 2004.

In the spring of 1941, Dr. Noggle married the former Marie Rowe, who still had a year of school to complete. The college president approved the marriage, on the condition that Marie Rowe would complete her education.

Mrs. Noggle, who worked in the college bookstore for 41 years, died Dec. 26, 2003. She was 83. The Noggles' house, which was located on Nebraska Street in the middle of campus, was a second home for hundreds of college students over the years.

"It's interesting that in the eternal scheme of things, God sent (Howard) into the world the very year the college was born," Dr. Marjorie Elder wrote in her history of IWU. Elder, who has taught at IWU since 1945, was a lifetime friend of the Noggles.

"If people like Howard's father hadn't raised that endowment, the school wouldn't have been here in the first place," Elder wrote. "If the Noggles hadn't 'raised' Howard, who would have raised the many hundreds of thousands brought into the coffers through Howard's many decades of donor friendships?"

Dr. Noggle is survived by a daughter, Carol (Deane) Dayton, Huntsville, Ala., and a grandson, Christopher Dayton, Huntsville, Ala.

Funeral services for Dr. Noggle will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at College Wesleyan Church, with Dr. Bud Bence officiating. Burial will be in Grant Memorial Park in Marion.

Visitation is from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday at Needham-Storey-Wampner, North Chapel, 1341 N. Baldwin Ave., Marion, and one hour before the services Saturday at College Church.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Indiana Wesleyan University, Howard and Marie Noggle Scholarship Fund, 4201 S. Washington St., Marion, IN 46953.