Dr. David Noble was well-known sports enthusiast

Dr. David Noble Sr., DDS, had a smile for everyone. It was just his way. And that smile, down through the years, made him one of the most knowledgeable, friendly and celebrated dentists Hermitage has ever known.
Dr. Dave passed away last week at the age of 76.
Our sincere sympathy to his wife Carol, to the entire Noble family and to his countless friends and associates. He will certainly be missed, not only in the immediate area, but throughout the tri-state sector. Patients came from far and wide for his services.
An active sportsman in his younger years, Dave became the first dentist to begin a practice in the township formerly known as Hickory. In more recent years that Hickory title has been switched to Hermitage. As the township grew so did Dave's practice. His first office was located upstairs over the former Ward's Restaurant, now known as Jess's, until he moved across the street to the little plaza area which served as his home office for a number of years.
Calmed patients
I remember climbing those steps into his first office. But once in "the chair," Dave would take your mind off the business at hand by talking sports. It didn't matter what kind of sports, Dave knew and talked about all of them. He was especially well-versed on high school and college football. He attended Mercer High School and remained a loyal Mustang follower, along with Hickory, his entire life. At Mercer High, he played his scholastic football under the famed Mustang mentor, Renzie Hoffman. He also attended Grove City College, from where he completed his pre-dental studies, going on to the University of Pittsburgh where he graduated from the School of Dentistry in 1952.
He loved the game of golf and was a regular at area courses until later in life when back trouble set in. He retired from dentistry in 1997 and devoted more time to another love of his life, gardening. Dave always talked about his love of the outdoors and in his younger days walked the forests of Pennsylvania during hunting season.
For 25 years, Dr. Dave sang in the church choir at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Hermitage, where he was an elder emeritus.
He was a noted man, too, belonging to many local and county organizations. His most worthy trait, however, was his love of people and they returned that affection.
It was a privilege for me to have known Dr. Dave throughout most of my adult life. I will remember him, his ways and his friendly smile the rest of my days.
Grodecki family honored
There are very few fans in this wild and wonderful world of athletic competition that can compare with the Leonard Grodecki family who live just across the state line in Ohio.
Len and his wife Donna eat, drink and live sports from the word go. And their lifestyle has not gone unnoticed. Their devotion to the boys and girls teams in their own community as well as the entire sector of Northeastern Ohio have at one time or another been touched by the goodness of the Grodecki family.
For their heart-warming efforts, the Grodecki family will be inducted into the Joseph Badger High School Sports Hall of Fame on Feb. 23. The Braves and their fans all know the Grodecki family very well and treat them like one of the family. Their induction will take place at the school's annual Senior Night.
Each year, Len and his wife travel hundreds of miles in support of their local teams in boys and girls basketball, softball and just about every other sport in which the schools engage. They have transported players in their own van, supplied the coaches and players with action photographs while providing any other chores they felt necessary to aid in the respective programs. They have followed their teams to Florida, Georgia and throughout out the southlands.
They do it all out of the goodness of their hearts and love every minute of it. Thank God for people like the Grodeckis.
I've known Len for many years, even worked with him years ago. We played golf and softball together and often dined at work on sardine sandwiches that were topped off with a huge slice of sweet onion. Nobody would come near us for days following a sardine banquet. If you haven't tried a sardine sandwich, topped with the big Bermuda slice, you haven't lived.
Len worked at The Herald for many years, and at The Vindicator, before switching over to Dow Jones in West Middlesex, from where he retired. He took up the golf game again last year and can be seen on the local courses with his "old cronies."
Besides keeping up with all of their sports activities, Len and Donna venture to Clarion, Pa., each year where they load up their vehicle with fresh cabbage and then head back home. Len and several of his buddies shred all of that cabbage into the best sauerkraut you can find anywhere. Let's just say that there are not too many people in the Shenango Valley who have not had the pleasure of eating Len's delicacy.
From this corner, we want to pass along our congratulations to both Len and Donna. Cheers!