Local businessman and community leader Naunihal “Noni” Singh Pannu passed away at the age of 79 of cancer-related health complications on Wednesday, April 12, at his residence in LaPlace.

He is survived by his wife Rajender “Raj”; son Sigmund; granddaughters Carin-Angelle and Elizabeth; great granddaughter Carsyn-Grace; daughter Harpreet Kaur; son-in-law Manish Gupta; grandchildren Sonia and Akshay; son Nauraj and daughter-in-law Vanita; son Harkeet; sister Surinder Sahi; and brother-in-law Devinder Sahi.

He was preceded by parents, Dyal Singh and Gurwant Kaur.
Noni, born in Lahore, India, and raised in the North Indian state of Punjab, moved to Cambridge, Mass.; to attend graduate school at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962, where he received his MS in Chemical Engineering.

He settled in the New Orleans area after building chemical plants around the world.

Upon retiring in 1995, Noni and his wife delved into new waters, undertaking entrepreneurial endeavors. As a result, he grew into a prominent businessman owning several Subway Sandwich shops in the greater New Orleans area.

Noni has been actively involved in the community while serving in multiple leadership positions through organizations such as Rotary Club of Metairie, Fil-Am Lions Club and the Sikh Society of the South, New Orleans. His commitment to community was a quality he instilled in those he has left behind.

Noni’s family plans to celebrate his life on Saturday, April 22, at Lake Lawn Funeral Home (5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124) and will include the following: Visitation from 10 a.m. to noon, Sikh Prayers from noon to 12:30 p.m., Memorial from 12:30 to 1 p.m., and Cremation Ceremony around 1:15 p.m.

Final religious prayers will be held on Sunday, April 23, at the Sikh Society of South – Gurdwara Sahib of New Orleans (8433 Morrison Road, New Orleans, LA 70127) from noon to 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, you may send donations in his memory to Sikh Society of South.