Shane Noyes

Shane Christopher Noyes, 49, passed away on September 30, 2025 at the Hospice of the Chesapeake in Gambrills MD, following a courageous 18-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Shane graduated from Dracut High School in 1994 and the Air Force Academy in 1998. He served on Active Duty for 21 years, in a variety of staff and leadership positions with assignments in Delaware, Alaska, Illinois, California and Hawaii and deployments across Europe and the Middle East.

Shane loved flying the C-5 and initially planned to become a commercial pilot following his retirement from the Air Force in 2019. Instead, in the fall of 2021, Shane began working as a substitute teacher at Homestead Elementary in Eagle River, Alaska and truly found his calling. He reported to work early every day of the school year, ready to clear the parking lot with his snowblower, patrol the grounds to ward off moose, and support classrooms throughout the school. He found this work so rewarding that he continued to travel back to Alaska to help out at the school, even after returning to the East Coast in 2023.

A Snap-On enthusiast, Shane could often be found in his pole barn in Magnolia, Delaware, tending to a fleet of cars, trucks and tractors. He enjoyed RV camping, snowmachining and ATV riding. Whenever there was a pile of dirt that needed moving, you could count on Shane to jump on his John Deere tractor and be right over. If you needed help building a deck or a duck coop, Shane would show up with a pencil behind his ear, ready to work all day. While he did not love putting up Christmas lights, that never got in the way of his determination to have the brightest display in the neighborhood. Even as his cancer progressed, you would often see Shane on a tractor, supervising the yard work, and making it clear everyone else needed to pick up the pace. He was a wonderful father, a loving husband, and an amazing friend, who will be deeply missed.

A memorial service to celebrate Shane’s life will take place at the Dover Air Force Base Chapel, 417 Tuskegee Blvd, on November 7, 2025 at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, friends might consider making a contribution to the Homestead Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization Homestead Elementary PTO – Home Page, which has established a fund to benefit students and teachers in honor of Shane. 

Shane is survived by his wife, Celina; son, Riley; parents, Chris and Fayth; and sister, Brooke.