NOEL KAUFMANN

Noel worked with my husband Joseph Horgan and me in the Maryland Green Party in 2002. Together we did flyering, strategizing, and troublemaking on the core (volunteer) staff of the Linda Schade Campaign for the Maryland House of Delegates, District 20. Noel was a tireless campaigner and had just the right absurd sense of humor to make the struggle tolerable. We soon found we had many interests in common including poetry, spirituality, and ufology. He helped our daughter Sophie with her math....

I grew up with Noel and Darius in Fresh Meadows. Noel was an incredible mind as well as athlete. Matter of fact the whole family was so gifted and talented. These times playing frisbee or stickball were some of my happiest times in childhood. Ty Noel. You taught me a lot. Thank you.

It is with deepest sorrow that I learned just today of Noel's passing. It had been way too long since my last piano tuning, and like another had said, my life also got really busy with wife's pregnancy and the birth of our daughter early last year. I enjoyed talking with Noel about life's little things, intricacies of tuning, or whatever and then watching him painstakingly care for my instrument. He was a gifted person and first time I met him could tell he had one of those special kind...

Tonight I just became aware of the fate of my old and close childhood friend Noel...we spent many hours in Fresh Meadows playing ball, hanging out, and sharing fellowship back in the day - he was an important part of my years of development during our teen years. We had sporadic contact during our adult years but it was all good when we did re-connect. This news of his passing last year fills me with sadness but I know Noel is sharing his music and his spirit wherever he may be now.

To Noel, his family, his friends on April 7, 2012:

I tried to submit this on April 7th, but it has not appeared. Trying again.

On Thursday, April 5, 2012 Donald L. Berry and I, Wanda Warren Berry, received the beautiful book of Noel Kaufman's writings and photographs that Alicia and Darius prepared.

At first we thought it was from Noel—and, of course, it is—and then we looked at the back cover and saw his end date—and realized he had died. I am chagrined...

Dear Noel,
I've just learned about your death in January of last year and feel a real sense of sadness at knowing that I won't have the pleasure of seeing you, visiting with you, and having you in my home to tune my two pianos ever again. You touched my life probably more than you ever knew. What a dear person you were, reminding me of my two grown sons in many ways. My pianos hadn't had the benefit of your talent and skills since April 2010. My life was in turmoil these past two...