Lydia Noak Orbeck Hoel

Lydia Noak Orbeck Hoel, 95, of Clifton, died peacefully Thursday, March 23, 2017, in Clifton. A funeral service was held March 27 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Cranfills Gap, and burial was at the Rock Church Cemetery. Lydia was born Oct. 20, 1921, to Willie and Irene Noak in Round Top. She graduated Valedictorian of her class from high school in Fayette County and then began secretarial and business school training in Austin. When World War II began, Lydia entered the field of civil service, serving two years in Washington D.C. and two years in New York City before transferring to Dallas, where she met her future husband, Lawrence Emmett Orbeck. Lawrence and Lydia married Nov. 4, 1950, and soon thereafter moved to Cranfills Gap, where they managed a family farm and raised their five children. Lydia was an entrepreneur, managing the family’s commercial egg production business and a successful Avon business as the community’s favorite “Avon Lady.” Upon Emmett’s death in 1973, Lydia purchased ownership in the Gap Insurance Agency, where she served as Business Partner until 1984. Lydia married Martin S. Hoel on Jan. 7, 1984, and the two spent their 23 years of marriage cruising and traveling around the world. Lydia was one of the original founders of the Cranfills Gap Septemberfest and found great joy in socializing with her many friends and loved ones. Lydia is survived by her children Christine Orbeck and friend, Steve Gangl, of Rockdale, Julia Smith and husband, Gary, of Stephenville, Bill Orbeck and wife, Beth, of Whitesburg, Ga., Laura Trussell and husband, Mike, of Frost, and Rebecca Kindred and husband, Zane, of Richmond; siblings Evelyn Kieke of Wallis, William Noak of Round Top and Wilbert Noak and wife, Lois, of Round Top, sister-in-law Verlene Noak of La Grange; step son-in-law Rick Lundberg and wife, Cheryll, of Clifton; 20 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and countless beloved friends. Lydia is preceded in death by her husbands Lawrence Orbeck and Martin Hoel, parents Willie and Irene Noak, brothers Kermit Noak and Milton Noak, sisters-in-law Delores Noak and Alice Orbeck Hobler Turbiville, brother-in-law Nelson Kieke, step-daughter Connie Hoel Lundberg and son-in-law John Amis. Pallbearers included Robert Bird, Justin Cannon, Mike Gossett, Jesse Howard, Jeff Nevers, Jacob Orbeck, Anthony Rodriguez, Brian Smith and Will Smith. Donations in Lydia’s memory can be made to the Clifton Lutheran Sunset Home.