Noel Korengold Obituary (1931 - 2024)

Age 92, passed away peacefully at his home in Deephaven, Minnesota on January 11, 2024. A lifelong resident of the Twin Cities, he was born in Minneapolis and graduated from Minneapolis North High School and the University of Minnesota. He served in the Army during the Korean War, where he was stationed in Korea. Growing up he developed an early love and precocious skill at playing tenor saxophone. Taking the streetcar to various points in the city when he was too young to drive, he sat in with a variety of big bands and became known for his improvisation skills. Years later people around town would hear his name and recall seeing him play, and he regaled us with stories of people he met from all walks of life at such a young age. Fittingly, he joined a growing music business following his graduation from college. Later he bought two businesses that he ran, first an arts and crafts distribution business, and later his family’s dental laboratory. He was uniformly loved by employees and customers alike, for his kind manner, sense of humor and, of course, his many sayings and witticisms. Many of those sayings reflected not just his sense of humor, but also his approach to life – never too high or too low, just the even-keel contentment of someone living each day in the present. “Life is for the living,” “any day you wake up is a good day,” and “if you don’t like what you’re doing, do something else.” Most importantly, he lived his life according to his “family comes first” mantra – emphasizing family dinners and special occasions, right up until this past holiday season, he loved nothing more than time with family. He is survived by his cherished wife of 42 years, Dianne; children, Robyn (Francis), Michael (Jonalie) and Jill (Anthony); grandchildren, Gainsley and Benjamin. He was also a tremendous lover of dogs, preferably large breeds, and Murphy, O’Toole, Pip and Snooty brought him such joy. Preceded in death by his parents, Morris and Ida; siblings, Stanley (Shirley), Marvin (Edna), and Joan (Paul) Leblang. He and Dianne built their home in Deephaven shortly after marrying, and it was their sanctuary. We are deeply grateful to the caregivers that allowed him to stay in his home until the end. Minnesota was such an important part of his identity. He joked that he never understood why people left town in winter and embraced every aspect of the city, as well as the family cabin on Whitefish Lake north of Brainerd. A dedicated Minnesota sports fan and long-time Vikings season ticket holder, he remained true to the Vikings and Gophers through ups and downs and (for better or worse) passed that legacy to his out-of-state kids and his grandchildren. He had a unique ability to distill complicated problems into simple, straightforward and practical advice. His insight has guided us throughout our lives. He has been the pillar of our family and we will miss him deeply. Funeral service 11:00 AM on MONDAY, January 15th at TEMPLE ISRAEL, 2323 Fremont Ave S, Minneapolis. The service is available on zoom at: www.hodroffs.com/NoelKorengold