Eldon L. ‘Curley’ Nobles; Led Construction, Water Purification Firms

Eldon L. “Curley” Nobles, 74, who headed construction and water purification companies. A native of Hot Springs, Ark., Nobles grew up in Southern California and served in the Navy during World War II. He then became a tuna fisherman along the Central and South American coasts. Settling in Fullerton, he launched Fulton-Nobles Construction Co., which he headed for 27 years, specializing in grading land for Southland freeways. He later became board chairman of Unipure Corp., helping factories comply with environmental laws. An off-road racing enthusiast, he was appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson to the California Commission on Off-Road Vehicles. Wilson also named him to the Two Californias Trade Commission, on which Nobles worked to extend water purification practices to Mexico. Nobles was a board member of the Bowers Museum of Cultural Arts in Santa Ana, where a courtyard is named in his honor. He also served as president of the fund-raising Thalians of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Because of his work for Republican politicians, Nobles earned a medal of merit from President George Bush and a senatorial medal of freedom. On April 12 in Palm Springs of pancreatic cancer.