Noah Lyman was the father of Josh Lyman and his sister Joanie, whom he raised in Westport, Connecticut, alongside his wife. His daughter died in a house-fire when she was young.[1]
He was a litigator who was a partner at Debevoise & Plimpton, where he met Jeff Breckenridge when he was a summer intern there. Breckenridge remembered Noah as a "wonderful man."[2]
He was diagnosed with cancer and had multiple surgeries as well as chemotherapy. Despite warnings from his doctors, he continued working thirteen-hour days, and on weekends, he admonished squirrels for getting into the bird feeder.[3]
Leo McGarry used his friendship with Noah to persuade Josh to come see Governor Josiah Bartlet speak, and afterwards, Josh joined Bartlet's campaign. Noah was proud that his son was working for Bartlet, though he would have preferred grandchildren to Josh's career in politics. He died of a pulmonary embolism on the night of the Illinois Primary.[4]