Noling Hays Malberg passed away of natural causes Nov. 5, 2025, at the age of 95, in Cabool, Missouri. He was born Oct. 8, 1930, to Cyrus August and Julia Florence (Killion) Malberg in the home he resided in until just a few weeks ago in the Pleasant Grove area north of Cabool.
Following graduation from Cabool High School in 1948, he attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield for two semesters before returning to the farm to help on the farm his grandparents started. Anticipating that he would be drafted for the Korean War, he enlisted in the Air Force serving from 1952 to 1956. Fortunately, he did not have to serve in combat, but became a weather observer and was sent to weather forecasting school at Chanute ARB near Chicago. During his service, he had an opportunity to travel to many places in Europe, California and Kansas, and was stationed in Morocco, North Africa for one year. He declined officer training after four years of enlistment and returned to the farm and to his love, Carole Wilson, with whom he’d had four dates before he left.
He was married to Carole Ruth Wilson June 8, 1957 until her death Oct. 26, 1997. They had two children, Michael and Libbey. He then married a childhood friend, Inez Stark, in 1998 until her passing in 2016, gaining four bonus children: Max, Jimmy, Joe and a very special bonus daughter, Sari. A retired home health nurse, Sari moved in with Noling and Inez to take care of her mother, and they agreed she would stay there after Inez passed to help care for Noling, which she did until he needed to be placed in full-time nursing home care recently.
Noling loved to farm and always had special dogs and cats for pets. He loved to work with his hands and could build and fix nearly anything. While dairy farming didn’t allow for vacations, he enjoyed canoeing and picnics on the Current River with friends and family, and trips to the Ozark Empire Fair. After retirement, he and Inez enjoyed traveling on bus tours all over the United States, and especially enjoyed an Alaskan Cruise. He also loved CB radios and listening to people from all over the world after a long day of farming. He was a great storyteller with an amazing memory, able to recount vivid details, names and places.
Having been a Christian saved by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he will be reunited in heaven with many special people who have gone before him including his sister, Bernice Richards. He is survived by a brother, Dennis (Ruby) Malberg of Wentzville, Missouri; son, Michael (Beverly) Malberg of Cabool; daughter, Libbey (Larry) Tucker of Overland Park, Kansas; bonus children, Max (Carol) Stark of Joplin, Jimmy (Evelyn) Stark of Springfield, Joe (Sherry) Stark of Greers Ferry, Arkansas and Sari Stark Wright of Cabool; grandchildren, Kembra Malberg (Ty) Zuber of Childress, Texas and Rachael Malberg (Wess) Gipson of Cabool and great grandchildren Kadi Mae Malberg of Vinson, Oklahoma, Shadin Zuber of Canyon, Texas and Cora Gipson of Cabool.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, at the funeral chapel with Terry Brown officiating. Pallbearers are Ty Zuber, Wess Gipson, Nick Cochran, Floyd Ebert, Bobby Brill and Jim Brown. Interment with full military honors is in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery under the direction of Elliott-Gentry-Carder Funeral Home of Cabool. Online condolences may be made at www.egcfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested contributions to the Pleasant Grove Cemetery c/o the funeral home.