Obituaries

Noah Marley Lahman, age 18, of Venice, California, died Tuesday, April 21, 2020 in Los Angeles. Noah was born July 10, 2001 in Los Angeles, California.

Noah is survived by his parents, Scott and Lori Lahman, his dear brother, Toby, his Maternal Grandmother, Bonnie Marlowe and the late Dominick Vocino; and his Paternal Grandparents, Nancy and Jerry Lahman. He is also survived by his Maternal Aunt, Nicolle Marlowe and his Paternal Aunts, DeDe Lahman, Mee Mee Lahman, DeDe’s husband, Uncle Neil Kleinberg, their daughter, Cousin Jade Kleinberg.

Noah had an extremely loving relationship with his first cousins, Seth Tamayo, Tate Marlowe and Chaz Marlowe, his cousin, Aunt Jennifer Kashdan, as well as numerous cousins in the LA area with whom he frequently spent many holidays and family gatherings. He is also survived by many very special friends from all walks of his life.

Noah attended The First School, PS1 Pluralistic School, Windward School, and the Venice High School STEMM magnet. From the time he could walk, Noah loved sports. He would impress friends and family with his feats of athleticism. His favorite sport was football, and throughout his younger years playing on multiple teams he would often earn captain, MVP, or other honors. A fierce competitor, he and his teammates won many more games than they lost, sometimes going a season or two without a defeat. Noah loved to win.

Noah always had a smile on his face, and projected a playfulness that some would describe as gleefully mischievous. He was a leader among his peers and the younger kids who looked up to him. He was also very comfortable speaking with adults, who often commented that he seemed present and authentic in their interactions with him.

He was good at so many things – he could play piano by ear, became proficient at guitar in just a few weeks, and he enjoyed expressing himself artistically, most recently through colorful and playful pen drawings. He had an appreciation for design and was always aware of the space and architecture around him. He loved playing video games and may have been a competitive gamer had he set his mind to it.

Noah was becoming well-traveled. For him, travel was first and foremost about people – a family trip to Tokyo became an opportunity to reconnect with a dear friend who moved there. Secondarily, it was about exploring the look and feel of new spaces, and capturing them with often stunning photographs. In addition to Tokyo, some of his favorite spots included Hong Kong, Shanghai, New York, Kona, Maui, Kailua, Aruba, Martha’s Vineyard, Catalina and many visits to the home of his grandparents in Eastern Connecticut. In the summer of 2019, Noah spent a service week in Fiji contributing to several projects, including renovating a school and a women’s shelter. He visited a school where he played rugby with young Fijians, and was blown away by the skill of these younger kids.

Noah’s passion for sports and the intensity with which he competed did result in several concussions during and before his freshman year of high school. Recovery from these concussions was a struggle and impacted Noah’s life in many ways. One positive impact is that Noah developed a fascination with the human brain, often talking about a future career in medicine with a neurological focus. With the hope of honoring his legacy, and helping to understand the impact of concussions on young athletes, the family has donated Noah’s brain tissue to CTE Center at Boston University.

For all of his blessings and gifts – and perhaps related to his concussions – Noah did struggle with substances for the past few years of his life. He had recently been clean and sober for four months with help and support from loving friends, family, and terrific professionals, including, most importantly, the very special community at Beit T’shuvah, a unique residential treatment center and community in Los Angeles. Noah had chosen to leave Beit T’shuvah in the face of the quarantine, and his struggles once again worsened. Despite this, Noah never stopped being the kind, caring, loveable son, brother, friend, and grandson. While he couldn’t save himself, during this period he convinced at least one other friend to enter rehab themselves, where they still remain. It is Noah’s family’s belief that Noah’s purpose, even in death, may be to serve as inspiration for those of his generation to seek help. For anyone who would like to support his legacy, please consider giving in Noah’s memory to the general fund at Beit T’shuvah by clicking here: https://beittshuvah.org/support/tribute-gifts/

Noah will be greatly missed by everyone that knew him. He was a bright light who lit up a room, and he was very loved by many. An online memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 3. Please speak with a family member or visit Memorial Information to request an invite. An in-person ceremony to mark Noah’s passing will be held in the future once the quarantine has subsided.