Noah Villanueva Obituary (1962 - 2026) - New Bern, North Carolina

Noah Villanueva, of Bridgeton, passed away on September 20, 2026. He was born August 9, 1962, in Uvalde, Texas, the youngest child of Nicholas and Antonia Villanueva. Noah grew up in Uvalde, where some of the qualities that would define him throughout his life began to take shape. He loved working on the local farms and was especially happy when there were animals to tend to. He learned early the value of a hard day's work—and hard work would become one of the hallmarks of Noah's life. His journey eventually carried him far from Texas, first to South Carolina and later to eastern North Carolina. For roughly the past 30 years, the New Bern area was home. Locally, Noah worked for a number of years at Nutrien, where he put his skills to use as a diesel mechanic working on heavy equipment. He also worked with the Cahoon family, developing friendships that went far beyond the job. There weren't many people who could outwork Noah. He was a sun-up-to-sundown kind of man—the kind who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty, tackle a difficult job, or keep going until the work was done. But what people will remember even more than how hard Noah worked was how freely he helped others. Noah was a giver. If you needed help, he helped. If you needed clothes and he had some to give, they were yours. If you needed something fixed, he would do what he could to fix it. If you needed a vehicle to drive and Noah had one available, he might just hand you the keys. He didn't need a lot of ceremony surrounding it. Helping people was simply part of who Noah was. He saw a need, and if there was something he could do about it, he did. And while Noah worked hard, anyone who knew him well would tell you that he knew how to play hard, too. He loved being around people. He loved to dance, laugh, cut up, and have a good time. There was a happy-go-lucky spirit about Noah that made people enjoy being around him. Whether he was hunting, fishing, spending time with friends, or simply enjoying the moment, Noah knew there was more to life than work. He was also something of a "horse-trader" at heart. Noah enjoyed finding a bargain, making a deal, trading this for that, and seeing if he could come out just a little better on the other side. For him, the deal itself was often part of the fun. Noah's life also reminds us that family isn't always defined only by a last name or by the people who live under the same roof. Although Noah did not have a large number of relatives living nearby, he was never without family—because over the years, his friends became his family. He built relationships with people who cared for him, stood beside him, laughed with him, worked alongside him, and, when the time came that Noah needed help himself, returned some of the kindness he had so freely shown to others. Noah is survived by his sons, Hunter Villanueva and Dylan McKim; his sister, Rosemary Rodriguez; and Zack and Bissa Jenkins, whom Noah loved as his own. He is also remembered with gratitude by his caregivers, James, Terry, Greg, and Christine, and by a host of friends who were not simply friends to Noah, but truly family. Noah's story was written across a lot of miles—from the farms of Uvalde, Texas, to the friendships he made here in eastern North Carolina. It was written in long days of hard work, grease-covered hands, hunting and fishing trips, music and dancing, deals made and bargains found, and countless moments spent helping somebody who needed a hand. Perhaps that is one of the best ways to remember Noah Villanueva. He worked hard. He played hard. He loved his friends. And when somebody needed something and Noah had a way to help, more often than not, he did. For a man who spent so much of his life fixing things, moving heavy equipment, working with his hands, and making deals, Noah ultimately leaves behind something that cannot be bought, traded, repaired, or replaced: the memory of a generous heart, a loyal friend, and a man who made family wherever life took him. Bennett Funeral & Cremation Care is honored to serve the family and friends of Noah Villanueva.