Dorell Loraine Koon

Dorell was born August 18th 1950 to Glen and Louise Hansen in Chicago Il. Later after Gien and Lou divorced Dorell and her younger brother Denis were adopted by Earl and Dorothy Cizek. The family lived in the Chicago area while the children were growing up, attending Luthern grade school and then Luther North High School. After High School Dorell attended American School of Beauty. Before she graduated her instructors encouraged her to enter the “Midwest Hair Show”. Dorell won first place which led her to her first job at Macy’s Salon in Chicago. She worked there for a period of time learning more about the hair business, and life. After she married her first husband, William Korniek, she moved to another salon located in the neighborhood in which she lived. Dorell continued to work at various salons including JCPenney. She owned her own salon in Huntley Il for 4-5 years.

Dorell met her second husband at Masi’s, a bar and bowling alley. This establishment had a lounge where they had bands and dancing. Dorell was singing backup to a duet girls band and Gary was auditioning to be the “band’s drummer”. The two hit it off and after three years of dating they were married on October 21, 1984. Both Dorell and Gary were divorced from their first spouses.

Dorell liked to sing and she had a great voice. Both Dorell and Gary tried out for various parts in Community Theater. Dorell’s parts were Sister Sophia in “The Sound of Music”, the frumpy girl that “Albert Peterson’s” mother wanted him to marry in “Bye Bye Birdy”, and her favorite role, “Golda” in “Fiddler on the Roof”. Dorell was nominated for a Jefferson award for her portrayal of Golda. (The Jefferson is Chicago’s equivalent to a “Tony” in New York.)

The family moved to Las Vegas in 1998 for a job that never materialized. However, this move allowed Dorell to retire from doing hair, after 41 years. Her years in Las Vegas were filled with new friends and new adventures. Dorell and her husband traveled to the Bahamas, Florida, Hawaii, as well as trips back to Illinois and Minnesota, to visit family. Dorell contracted COPD in 2019. She became wheelchair bound for her last years and was in and out of hospitals and eventually into Nathan Adelson Hospice. Dorell was at home with family when she passed away.

Dorell was preceded in death by her adoptive parents, and her birth parents, and Denis, her younger brother. She is survived by her husband, Gary Koon, two sons, Drew Korinek, Dan Korinek, and two step sons, Scott Koon and Jeffrey Koon.

There will be a celebration of Dorell’s life in the Chapel of Grace Presbyterian Church at 2:00pm on November 11, a reception will follow the service.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.neptunesociety.com/location/las-vegas-cremation for the Koon family.