Leslie M. Golden

Service : Friday, April 10th at 12:15 pm
Service Location: Shalom Chapel Service
Shalom Memorial Funeral Home
1700 West Rand Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60004

Interment:
Shalom Memorial Park
1700 W. Rand Road
Arlington Heights

Shiva Information

Max & Benny’s
461 Waukegan Road
Northbrook, Illinois 60062

Following interment

Contributions
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
http://www.support.peta.org
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
http://www.aspca.org
American Humane Society
http://www.americanhumane.org

Leslie Morris Golden, 82, passed away on April 6, 2026. He was the beloved son of the late Irving and Anne Golden; cherished brother of Bruce Golden and the late Marla Wolfinger; caring brother-in-law of Kenneth Wolfinger (Ying); loving uncle of Dale Golden, Cheryl Balaban (Joel Epstein), Beth Balaban (Ken Lorant), and Susan Balaban (Jeff Markham); proud great-uncle of 8 and great-great uncle of 5. Les was a true Renaissance Man – an astronomer, author, musician, actor, comedian, and political activist. He was raised in Oak Park, Illinois and graduated from Oak Park-River Forest High School. He received his B.A. and Master of Engineering Physics from Cornell University, and his M.A and Ph.D. in Astronomy from University of California, Berkeley. In his time at Cornell, he served as editor-in-chief of Cornell Engineer Magazine. Les founded and served as Director of the Near Earth Asteroid Reconnaissance Project (N.E.A.R). Les was a well-liked professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Roosevelt University for many years. He authored numerous articles and publications including the critically acclaimed “Never Split Tens” (Copernicus Books) and the illustrated and definitive “Laboratory Experiments in Physics for Modern Astronomy” (Springer Publishing). He was a talented trumpet player, jazz vocalist, and band leader. Les has more than 100 stage, film, radio, television, and commercial credits to his name. He was a charter member of Porchlight Theater Ensemble in Chicago. He was brilliant in the gambling world, helping to develop the Golden Diagram for blackjack and the Magic Circle system for roulette. Les cared deeply for animals and the environment, taking part in local government and activism for years. As Les said, “we don’t own the Earth, we simply share it.” He will be deeply missed by all whose lives he touched. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to PETA, www.support.peta.org, the ASPCA, www.aspca.org, or the American Humane Society, www.americanhumane.org. Chapel service Friday, April 10, 12:15 PM at Shalom Memorial Funeral Home, 1700 W. Rand Rd, Arlington Heights. Interment to follow at Shalom Memorial Park. For a link to view the service, shiva information, and to leave condolences: www.shalommemorial.org, 847-255-3520.