Norman T. Novak, 59, led St. Joseph marching band. During the 30 years that Norman T. Novak directed the St. Joseph High School marching band, it was known as one of the largest and best in the state. Its many honors including being invited to appear at halftime during Cleveland Browns football games several years in a row, a frequency that was almost unprecedented.
Mr. Novak also taught at Chanel High School for six years. He was the director of the United Slovenian Society band for 15 years.
Mr. Novak enjoyed boating as a hobby. He was founder of the West Channel Yacht Club on the banks of Eastlake’s Chagrin River and service as the club’s first commodore.
Mr. Novak died of heart failure Wednesday at University Hospitals. He was 59.
He was born in Cleveland and attended St. Joseph High School. He graduated from Western Reserve University in 1959 and received a master’s degree in music education from Kent State University five years later. He was a member of the Ohio Music Educators Association for 36 years.
When Mr. Novak was hired as a music teacher and band director at St. Joseph at age 22, the marching unit had only 67 members. He soon built that to well over 200. He had the band members elect their own leaders. He took them to a four-day summer camp where they practiced basic steps and formations. Band members competed instrument by instrument for first place positions.
“Our goal is not only to play good concert or band music, but to build good Christian men. Not only talk about it, but to do it,” he said in an interview in 1969.
Mr. Novak was inducted into the Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School Hall of Fame in 1995. He was a past officer of the Greater Cleveland Boaters Association.
He was reared in Euclid and lived in Willowick before he moved to Mentor.
Mr. Novak is survived by his wife, the former Susan Mayrose; sons, Alan of North Olmsted, Raymond of Bowling Green, Ohio and Gary of Chester Township; five grandchildren; and a brother.
A Mass will be at 11 a.m. today at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church, 9114 Lake Shore Blvd., Mentor.
Arrangements are being handled by the Zele Funeral Home of Cleveland.