Neighbors: George Noble

Like so many other residents of Longboat Key, George Noble retired here with only thoughts of enjoying the good life. After a 34-year practice of neurology/ophthalmology in Providence, R.I., he was ready. Noble and his wife, Cindy, first came to the Key as guests at The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort in 1979 and became Colony owners in 1983. In 1995, they moved to Cedars East and became full-time residents when he retired in 2002.

Tennis buffs, the couple enjoyed playing the courts on the Key. Noble became an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key. For six years, he was a member of the Code Enforcement Board and served as chairman for three years. But, one day at 2:30 in the afternoon, having read at least two newspapers and played a couple of sets of tennis, Noble was asked himself, “What do I do now?”

In 2002, he was hospitalized with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which left him bedridden for two weeks. His recovery took more than four months.

“I remembered a nurse walking by my door carrying what I thought was a bouquet of flowers and several people were following her,” Noble said. “I was told it was something new, a bouquet of fresh fruit. At the time, I thought what a great idea.”

The idea remained with him. He remembered it was an edible fruit arrangement. Noble checked and found franchises were available in Sarasota.

“I really wanted to do something new,” he said. “So seven years ago, Cindy and I became entrepreneurs. It has been a real learning experience.”

Fresh fruit is delivered daily, and the assembly crew comes in at seven a.m. Recently, the franchise went to a seven-day-a-week operation.

“That kind of stretches it for us,” he says.

What does Noble like best about his new career?

“Definitely my employees; they are kind of like my foster kids,” he says. “We help them with education programs and we have a strict work policy. You can’t be late or absent without a reason and can’t violate any health-department requirements.”

Initially, Noble did all deliveries, but as the business has grown, up 400%, he has delivery trucks and a crew of drivers.

“I have difficulty making hospital deliveries,” he says. “I forget I can’t enter the doctors-only door but have to go to deliveries.”

Longboat Key is definitely home for Noble.

“I get rejuvenated every time I go over the Longboat Key bridges,” he says. “I really believe everyone who lives here shares that feeling with me.”

Unfortunately, Noble has had no time for tennis lately, but that may change — his business is up for sale.

“It’s time for another change,” he says.

It might be time now for more family reunions like they had a year ago on Longboat Key with 60 attending.

And it will allow him to spend more time with his family: daughter, Dr. Sarah Hoffe, medical director of Moffitt Cancer Center; daughter, Susan Adams, a stay-at-home mom; and son, Geoffrey Davis, assistant director, Major Crime Bureau, New Jersey State Police; and with their six grandchildren.