David Manley Noyes

     David Manley Noyes passed away in peace and comfort in Denver, Colorado.  He is predeceased in death by his parents Ervin Manley Noyes and Ada Inez Johnson, his brother Paul J. Noyes, Joan L. Ranger, the mother of his children, and his son Thomas J. Noyes.  He is survived by his brother Robert Noyes, of Alexandria, Minnesota, his children Michael M. Noyes of Denver, Colorado, Kelly L. Meldau of Leander, Texas, Laura E. McKenna of Key West, Florida, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

      David was born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, where he lived until graduation from High School.  While at Fergus Falls High School David excelled at athletics, playing football, basketball and baseball at the varsity level for multiple years.  His athletic prowess eventually landed him in the Fergus Falls Athletics Hall of Fame.  Additionally, it gave him the opportunity to play professional baseball within the Boston Red Sox organization, OR to choose to play basketball on a scholarship at the University of Colorado.  He chose basketball!

      While at Colorado he was in the Navy R.O.T.C program.  He graduated from the University of Colorado in 1954 with a finance degree and became a Navy Officer.  He fought in the Korean War and was aboard the USS Toledo, with his most active service assisting in the 1955 Taschen evacuation.  He received the China Service Medal Award.

      He received an honorable discharge in 1956 and spent the next few years learning the construction and development business, eventually founding Noyes Paving Company in Alexandria, Minnesota, and D.M. Noyes Construction company in Minneapolis with his brother Paul.  They built in many states.  

      He met and married Janet Jack in 1958.  His son Michael was born in 1959.   He met and married Joan Ranger in 1963.  They were married 27 years and had three children; Kelly Meldau, Thomas Noyes, and Laura McKenna.  He was a devout Catholic.  He proclaimed his proudest accomplishment was having grown children who are all solid Christians and college graduates. He lived in Minnesota until 1977.  He also lived in Laguna Niguel, California, and in the last decade or so of his life, he lived in Denver, Colorado where his son Michael and his family with five of his grandchildren lived.

      The great state of Minnesota was where his heart always resided.   He loved the lakes and the countless friends and family who lived there. 

      There were many fun and interesting facets to his personality.   He had a great sense of humor.  He purposely misstated the names of celebrities to get a laugh – Lady Gaga was Lady Googoo,  Kenney Chesney was Chessy Chestnut, and Eva Longoria was Eva Lingerie.  He also loved sports – and followed the teams from Minnesota, his son’s Notre Dame, and later in life the teams in Denver.  He fished.  He played golf his whole life at various country clubs where he was a member.  He loved certain foods – Minnesota sweet corn, walleye fish, popcorn, and of course a good chocolate malt. 

      In the end he was known as a fun and great friend, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He got as much out of his 90 years as he could, and he was deeply loved and will be missed by all.

      In lieu of Flowers any donations in his memory could be made to the Covenant House of Homeless Children in New York and Los Angeles.

      Services will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at Alexandria, Minnesota on Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 11 AM, followed immediately by a luncheon reception.   Please RSVP to michael@noyeslaw.com, call 303-756-6789 or text 303-319-6999.