Lydia Orbeck Hoel

Lydia Orbeck Hoel, 95, of Clifton, passed away peacefully Thursday, March 23, 2017, in Clifton. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm, Monday, March 27, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Cranfills Gap. Burial will follow at the Rock Church Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 3:00 - 5:00 pm Sunday, March 26, at Clifton Funeral Home.

Lydia was born October 20, 1921, to Willie and Irene Noak in Round Top, Texas. She graduated Valedictorian of her class from Fayette County High School, 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 November 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 January 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, Georgia, 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; 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, and brothers Kermit Noak and Milton Noak.

Pallbearers include Robert Bird, Justin Cannon, Mike Gossett, Jesse Howard, Jeff Nevers, Jacob Orbeck, Anthony Rodriguez, Brian Smith and Will Smith.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Clifton Lutheran Sunset Home.