Noah Wayne Risner of Tullahoma passed away on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024 at Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital at the age of 78.

Noah was born in Salem, AR to the late Freeman and Rose Ada Shelton Risner. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1968 with a degree in mechanical engineering, and then went on to work at the Arnold Engineering Development Center as a design engineer in the Cowbarn Facility. He remained there until 1975, when he accepted a similar position with Micro Craft, Inc. There, Noah progressed through increasing levels of responsibility, including that of Engineering Manager, and subsequently General Manager of the Tullahoma Division. During his tenure at Micro Craft, he worked on virtually every significant aerospace program in the United States, and was a major contributor to the company becoming a nationally-recognized aerospace program. After the sale of Micro Craft in 1999, Noah remained with the company under the new management until his retirement in 2009. Noah was not all work and no play, however.

He was an avid sports enthusiast; a member of the Woods Reservoir Ski Club, and barefoot skier, a dirt bike racer, he loved anything that would go fast. When deer season came, you would regularly find him deer hunting (both gun and bow) with his daughter Angie and son-in-law, Larry – AKA The Three Musketeers. Until the last few years, he also enjoyed playing golf with his wife, Alice, and together they assisted in organizing couples golf trips for 20 years. Upon his retirement, he became actively involved in the maintenance of the golf course at Lakewood Golf and Country Club as a volunteer doing whatever needed to be done. That effort continued, essentially full time, right up until the day he passed away. He had spent a full day on the tractor cutting grass before his death that evening.  All who knew Noah recognized him as a man who, along with his wife, Alice, would use his considerable skills to help anyone in need. When he saw that someone needed help, he didn’t wait to be asked, he immediately came to their rescue. To his many friends, he was a confidant who will be sorely missed. Most importantly, he will be remembered as the “Greatest Papa Ever”, a role he loved above all else.

Noah is survived by his beloved wife, Alice Paysinger Risner; two daughters who were his sunshine, Angie McFarland (Larry), and Dera Risner; one sister, Betty Parker; one step-brother, Randy Ferguson (Kaye); three grandchildren, April Combest (Robert), Jessica Hoque (Patrick), and Lawrence McFarland; and seven great-grandchildren, Addison, Claire, Cooper, Owen, Emmie, Mailie, and Lawson.

Visitation for Mr. Risner will be held on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 4 – 7 p.m. at Kilgore Funeral Home. A memorial service will immediately follow at 7 p.m. in the Kilgore Funeral Home chapel. For those who wish, the family asks that donations in Noah’s memory be made to the Maintenance Shed Revitalization Fund c/o Lakewood Golf and Country Club – 1919 Country Club Drive, Tullahoma, TN 37388.

Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Tullahoma News – Aug. 11, 2024