Nunc Dimittis

Kenneth Kajkowski, age 43, of Helena, Montana, died April 19 following an automobile accident southeast of White Sulfur Springs, Montana. Born in New York City, he studied organ with Dr. George Powers and attended Manhattan School of Music and Queensborough School of Music. He learned organbuilding as an apprentice with Louis Mohr in New York City, and later formed his own company, Kenn Pro Co., in Maspeth, New York. He moved west in 1976 to work with the Hendrickson Organ Company in St. Peter, Minnesota. In 1978 he opened his own shop in Great Falls, Montana, moved it to Deer Lodge in 1983 and then to Helena in 1992. A recent project was the rebuild of a 1912 Bennet organ for the First Presbyterian Church of Lewistown, Montana. He was a member of the OHS and the AIO. He is survived by an 8-year-old son, his father, and his aunt. Funeral services were held at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Helena.

Charles Myers, of Clitheroe, England, died on February 27. Born in London in 1923, he grew up during the inter-war years in Worcester, where he was educated at Worcester Cathedral Choir School and at Worcester Cathedral King's School. He was a treble in the Choir of Worcester Cathedral under Sir Ivor Atkins, and later studied with Herbert Sumsion. Mr. Myers followed courses at Trinity College of Music and at the Guildhall School of Music, where he won the Sir Augustus Manns Memorial Prize for Organ Playing. He was also awarded diplomas from the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, and the Royal College of Organists. In 1944 he was appointed Organist of St. George's Church, Barbourne, Worcester, and in 1948 became Assistant Music Master at Monkton Combe School near Bath. While at the school he met Rowena Jenner, a qualified nurse, who had become the School Matron. They were married in 1950. That same year they moved to Clitheroe, where Charles was appointed Organist and Choirmaster of the Parish Church of St. Mary Magdalene. He also held teaching appointments at both Clitheroe Royal Grammar Schools for Girls and for Boys for well over 20 years. During his time at Clitheroe, he founded and organized the Clitheroe Parish Church Organ Society, which hosts concerts by both "up-and-coming" and internationally renowned artists. For many years he was editor of Musical Opinion and continued writing reviews until this death. Myers had a special interest in organ construction and had been consultant to a number of churches for improvements to their instruments. In 1975, he accepted an invitation from the Lord Bishop of Blackburn to become the Organ Adviser for the Diocese.

R. Franklin Mitchell died March 31 in Lawrence, Kansas. Born on March 30, 1917, in Murphysboro, Illinois, he joined the Reuter Organ Company in 1951 as special representative and consultant, and in 1957 was appointed Tonal Director. He was elected Vice President of the company in 1965. In 1980 he assumed the position of President and Partner, a position he held until 1983 when he became Chairman of the Board, continuing in that position until his retirement in 1995. Mr. Mitchell and the Reuter Organ Company both celebrated their 81st birthdays this year, Mitchell on March 30 and Reuter on March 3. During his 44 years of service, he was involved with the design and tonal finishing of over 1,000 pipe organs. Mitchell received the BA in music from Missouri Valley College, Marshall, Missouri, in 1938, and the MMus in organ from the University of Michigan in 1943. In 1945-50 he did graduate study at Union Theological Seminary. In 1969 and 1972 he toured Europe to study European pipe organ design and construction. He held the position of organist of the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor 1941-44, at the Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg, South Carolina 1946-47, and when he began work at Reuter in 1951 he was named organist and director of music of the First United Methodist Church in Lawrence, a position he held until 1961. Mitchell was also a teacher and professor of music. After his graduation he became Instructor of Music at Missouri Valley College 1939-41.  He served in the Air Force during World War II and was a chaplain's assistant. After the war and his service in Spartanburg, he was professor of organ at Linfield College, MacMinnville, Oregon 1947-49, and was instructor in music at Northwest Missouri State College when he accepted the position with Reuter. He served as Visiting Lecturer in Organ for 10 years, 1968-78, at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. In 1994 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Missouri Valley College. He is survived by his wife Adeline, a son, two daughters, and two grandsons.

Roger Beebe Arnold, of Omaha, Nebraska, died on February 10. Born in Willimantic, Connecticut, Mr. Arnold began piano lessons at the age of nine, and decided, in his teens, to make his life's work that of a church organist. After serving as a chaplain's assistant in the Navy during World War II, he pursued his Bachelor's studies at Yale University, where his organ teacher was Luther Noss. Receiving his Master of Sacred Music degree in 1950 from Union Theological Seminary, where among his teachers were Hugh Porter, Searle Wright, and Harold Friedell, he took a position at Huntington Court Methodist Church, Roanoke, Virginia. In 1959 he became minister of music at First Central Congregational Church, Omaha, Nebraska, which houses a 1947 G. Donald Harrison Aeolian-Skinner organ. During his tenure there, which concluded at the end of 1983, Mr. Arnold was instrumental in the design and installation of a two-manual-and-pedal antiphonal organ. He taught privately for many years and served three terms as Dean of the Omaha AGO Chapter. In 1984 he became organist at St. Paul United Methodist Church, Omaha, where he oversaw major tonal and mechanical improvements to the 1957 Reuter organ, and from which he retired in 1998. He is survived by his wife, four daughters and their husbands, eight grandchildren, a brother, three sisters, nieces and nephews.

Theodore Marier, FAGO, ChM, died on February 24. He was 88 last October 17, a birthday he shared with Herbert Howells, whose music he performed and admired. Born in Fall River, Mr. Marier grew up in Dedham and held degrees from Boston College and Harvard University, as well as honorary doctorates from Catholic University, Washington, DC; St. Anselm's College, New Hampshire; and the Pontifical Institute, Rome. He was also honored as a Knight Commander of St. Gregory by Pope John Paul II. A distinguished choral conductor, organist, composer, editor, and author, he taught at many colleges and universities in this country and in Europe. He was known worldwide for his passion for Gregorian Chant and his teaching and performance of chant. His most recent work included conducting the Benedictine Sisters of the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut, in two CD recordings of Gregorian Chant, and the publication of two books: Gregorian Chant Practicum (Catholic University Press), and his hymnal, Hymns, Psalms and Spiritual Canticles. He was at work on revisions for a new edition of the hymnal just days before his death. Perhaps his most significant achievement was the founding of the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School at St. Paul's in Cambridge (Boston Boy Choir), which he accomplished in 1963 during his 52-year tenure as parish music director. When he “retired” from St. Paul's at the age of 74, he became Justine Ward Professor of Liturgical Music at Catholic University in Washington, DC, a post he held until his death. Marier is survived by his daughter, two sons, and five grandchildren. Over 40 choir school alumni and friends joined the choirboys in his tribute at a funeral liturgy at St. Paul's, presided over by Bernard Cardinal Law, who, as a Harvard student, had sung under his direction.

Earl V. Kelone, 82, of Little Rock, Arkansas, died on May 10 from a stroke. He was born on November 18, 1919 in Little Rock and was a member of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church, where he served as organist and choir director for 48 years. He also served as treasurer of the Central Arkansas AGO chapter for several years, and was an Army veteran of World War II in the Pacific Theatre. Mr. Kelone is survived by his wife of 55 years, Gertrude Kelone, a daughter, a brother, a sister, and two grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Msgr. Allen Trust Fund, c/o Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church, 1003 N. Tyler St., Little Rock, AR 72205; or St. Joseph's Endowment Fund, 1115 College Ave., Conway, AR 72032.

Frederick A. Lake, age 72, died on June 28 at Kaiser Hospital in San Francisco, California, after a lengthy illness. Fred served as senior voicer at Schoenstein & Co., San Francisco, where was employed since 1981. In his 21 years of dedicated service to the company, he was a major contributor in developing their American Romantic tonal style. He carried out numerous voicing research and development projects based on the firm's studies in France, Germany and England, and conducted numerous tonal experiments toward the creation of new stops such as the Schoenstein Symphonic Flute. Fred also took part in tuning and tonal finishing activities.

According to members of his family, Fred developed a passionate interest in the pipe organ and its music as he grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He studied organ in school and college and held posts as a church organist through much of his career. His organ work started with an apprencticeship at the firm of Rudolf von Beckerath in Hamburg, Germany. His training was primarily in flue voicing. In 1958 he joined John Shawhan, the Casavant representative in Saginaw, Michigan, where he took part in the installation and finishing of many new Casavant organs as well as rebuilding projects and tuning. In 1968, Fred joined the Berghaus Organ Company in Bellwood, Illinois, where he served as voicer and handled other organ building, rebuilding, and service responsibilities until moving to San Francisco and joining the Schoenstein organization. He was a member of the American Institute of Organbuilders.

Fred Lake was highly respected by co-workers and clients alike. He was a gentlemanly, soft-spoken, and learned colleague with extensive interests and knowledge in a wide range of scientific subjects. His thorough dedication to the study of pipe organ tone made him a valued member of the pipe organ community. He is survived by his sister Ruth Ann Saunders of Kirkland, Washington.

--Jack Bethards

President, Schoenstein & Co.

Robert Noehren died on August 4 in San Diego, California. He was 91. Dr. Noehren enjoyed a long career as a recitalist, teacher, scholar, and organ builder. He taught at the University of Michigan from 1949 to 1976, serving as head of the organ department and university organist, and was named professor emeritus in 1977.

Born on December 16, 1910, in Buffalo, New York, Noehren studied organ with Gaston Dethier, Ernest Mitchell and Lynnwood Farnam, and composition with Paul Hindemith. Early in his career he served as a church organist in Germantown, Pennsylvania; Buffalo, New York; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. He taught at Davidson College prior to his appointment to the University of Michigan. Noehren made over 40 recordings and was the first organist and one of only two non-French organists to receive the Grand Prix du Disque (for his recording of the Bach Trio Sonatas). In 1978 he received the Performer of the Year Award from the New York City AGO chapter.

Through grants from the Carnegie Foundation and the University of Michigan, Noehren toured France, Germany, and Holland extensively, gathering scaling and voicing data on the organs of those countries. Articles based on those experiences appeared in The Diapason beginning in 1948. He formed his own organ company in Ann Arbor and built 20 organs between 1955 and 1979, including large four-manual instruments at St. John's Cathedral, Milwaukee; First Presbyterian Church, Buffalo, New York; and First Unitarian Church, San Francisco. In 1999, Harmonie Park Press (Warren, Michigan) published Noehren's collection of essays, An Organist's Reader, which details his life in music and organ building. Recent recordings include The Robert Noehren Retrospective (Lyrichord LYR-CD-6005) and Johann Sebastian Bach (Fleur de Lis FL 0101-2).

[A tribute will appear in a later issue.]

Enrique Alberto Arias, 63, died on December 1, 2004, at Weiss Memorial Hospital, Chicago. Survived by close friends and colleagues, there are no immediate family survivors. A musicologist, Dr. Arias was associate professor at DePaul University's School of New Learning, and president of Ars Musica Chicago.

The son of Enrique (the Consul General of Panama in Chicago) and Jeanne Arias, Enrique Arias was born April 26, 1941 in Chicago. He received a bachelor of music in piano performance from the DePaul University School of Music, a master of arts in musicology from the University of Chicago, and in 1971, a Ph.D. in music history and literature from Northwestern University. Dr. Arias was a faculty member, and later president, of the Chicago Conservatory of Music. He then served as chairman of Humanities and Graduate Studies at the American Conservatory of Music, and in 1993 began his tenure at DePaul. Arias was also a member of the American Musicological Society, and throughout his career he was a keynote speaker at numerous conferences on Latin American music.

As a researcher and writer, Dr. Arias traveled yearly to churches, archives and libraries around the world. His many publications include The Masses of Sebastian de Vivanco (circa 1550-1622): A Study of Polyphonic Settings of the Ordinary in Late Renaissance Spain (University Microfilms, 1971), Alexander Tcherepnin: A Bio-Bibliography (Greenwood Press, 1989), and Comedy in Music: A Historical Bibliographical Resource Guide (Greenwood Press, 2001). He was one of four editors of Essays in Honor of John F. Ohl: A Compendium of American Musicology (Northwestern University Press, 2001), and one of his most significant publications was the edition of Three Masses by Sebastian de Vivanco (A-R Editions, circa 1978). Arias also had numerous articles published in music journals, including Music Review, Tempo, Perspectives of New Music, Anuario Musical, Lituanus (The Lithuanian Quarterly), and the Latin American Music Review. His final two articles were "Maps and Music: How the Bounding Confidence of the Elizabethan Age Was Celebrated in a Madrigal by Weelkes" (published in the winter 2003-04 edition of Early Music America), and "Jules Massenet, French Cantatas for a Martyr, and Vincentian Composers" (published in the September 2004 issue of The Diapason).

As a pianist, Arias was most active in the 1970s and 1980s, performing regionally at many venues including Preston Bradley Hall, and internationally with the late soprano Dahlia Kucenas at concert halls throughout Asia, Eastern and Western Europe, and South America. He also served as president of Ars Musica Chicago, an early music ensemble, a position he held since 1988.

A memorial service took place December 12, 2004 at St. Vincent de Paul Church, Chicago, and a concert was given in his memory on January 9, 2005, also at St. Vincent de Paul Church. Contributions may be made in his memory to Ars Musica Chicago, P.O. Box  A-3279, Chicago, IL 60690.

Lois Rhea Land, 88, long-time teacher, composer, author, and mentor to many music educators throughout Texas, died December 9, 2004, of complications from a fall a year and a half ago that left her paralyzed. Born in Milton, Kansas, she was a child prodigy in piano and received music degrees from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. From 1945 to 1964 she taught music in the Corpus Christi, Texas public schools, and served as a judge and clinician throughout the southwest. A founding member of the Texas Choral Directors Association in 1950, she also collaborated with many conductors and singers as accompanist for the Texas All-State Choir in the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1964 she joined the music faculty at Southern Methodist University, where she taught music education and supervised the graduate music education division until 1980. From 1980-88 she served as adjunct professor of music education at Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth. A church organist from an early age, she served Dallas congregations as organist and choir director, including Northaven and Munger Place United Methodist Churches, and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Rockwall.

Her numerous choral compositions were published by Plymouth, Southern Music, Bourne, Edwin Morris, Mark Foster, and Lawson-Gould, and was the co-author of numerous college and choral music textbooks. Most recent publications include several volumes of sight-reading materials and techniques published by Alliance Music Company in Houston, and A Cappella Songs Without Words (AMC).

She is survived by one daughter, Christina Harmon, of Dallas, Texas, and three grandchildren. A memorial service was held at Perkins Chapel, Southern Methodist University, December 27, 2004.

Charles Wilson McManis died December 3, 2004, in South Burlington, Vermont, after suffering a fall at his home the evening before. He was born March 17, 1913, in Kansas City, Kansas, and was preceded in death by his first wife, Charlotte Bridge McManis, an elder brother and a younger sister. He is survived by his second wife, Judith Fisher McManis of South Burlington, two sons and a daughter.

Mr. McManis grew up in a musical family. At age three, sitting in church with his mother (his father was choir director), he was fascinated by the sounds of the organ, and remembered humming its very high pitches. At age twelve he experimented with making wood and metal organ pipes from fruit crates and coffee cans. As a teenager he constructed an organ with four ranks of pipes that he installed in the family's finished attic. He completed studies at the University of Kansas in 1936 with a BA degree, specializing in theoretical courses useful to an organbuilder. Following this, in 1937, was a bachelor of music degree in composition and organ performance. While at the university, he apprenticed during vacations with an organ factory representative, repairing, voicing and tuning organs. On graduation he set up shop in Kansas City, Kansas, building or rebuilding half a dozen organs before Pearl Harbor and WWII halted U.S. organbuilding.

In April, 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. After basic training at Camp Roberts, California, he was retained to teach organists of the nine regimental chapels, and was assigned to 11th Regimental Chapel. The following year he was shipped overseas with the 221st General Hospital to Chalon-sur-Marne, France, ninety miles east of Paris. At war's end, he returned to Kansas City, where he married Charlotte Bridge on June 9, 1946.

At McManis Organs, Charles and his staff would build, renovate or restore more than one hundred thirty-five organs for churches, homes and universities throughout the USA over the next five decades. Because of his musical training, he was one of the first organbuilders who could actually play much of the literature written for the organ. His passion was to design and voice instruments suited to play this great variety of music. Even his smallest organs encouraged exploration of the rich and colorful repertoire available.

His ability at pipe voicing was legendary among his peers. Over the years, he wrote extensively, mentored younger organbuilders and conducted several clinics to teach others about his voicing "secrets." He was a founding member of the American Institute of Organbuilders.

Retiring (theoretically) in June, 1986, McManis moved to the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Charlotte, who died of cancer four months after their arrival. He stayed on in California, occasionally tuning and repairing organs, and hiking in Yosemite and the Sierras. In July 1989, a Connecticut tornado that heavily damaged the McManis organ at St. John's Episcopal Church, Waterbury, Connecticut, took Charles McManis out of retirement, calling him east to replace 35 of 60 ranks in his Opus 35, first installed in 1957. Due to the extensive damage to the building, as well as the organ, several parishioners were appointed to coordinate a variety of repair programs, including Judith Fisher who was to oversee the organ restoration. After working together for eighteen months, she and Charles were married November 2, 1991. He continued working with organs in Connecticut, acting as consultant and overseeing the installation or restoration of several instruments in the area. He served as curator of the organ at St. John's for just over 10 years.

In 2001, Charles and Judith moved to Vermont. He was able to complete work on his autobiography just days before his death. A "Celebration of Charles' Life" took place January 8 at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul (Episcopal) in Burlington. Donations may be made to the Music Ministry of St. Paul's.

Gordon W. Brooks died on January 20 in Warren, Ohio, at the age of 82. He was born on February 22, 1916 in Mineral Ridge, Ohio, attended Niles McKinley High School, and earned the BA in organ from YSU Dana School of Music. He was a piano and organ teacher for many years and was organist at Indianola Methodist Church in Youngstown; organist at several Lutheran churches in the Youngstown and Niles area; music director at First Presbyterian Church in Warren for 14 years; and organist at Robert H. Roberts-Clark Memorial Home for 10 years. An Army Air Corps veteran of World War II, he was a member of the National Gmanfa Ganu Welsh Society, where he was organist for 50 years and formed the Welsh quartet "Cor Bach Cymreig."

Patricia "June" Kean died last November in Springfield, Missouri. She was born on June 22, 1933, in Fort Worth, Texas, and was married to Barry Kean in 1959. She was preceded in death by her husband, and is survived by three sons, three grandchildren, and two sisters. Dr. Kean completed the BMus at Oklahoma City University in 1954, the MMus in piano at Eastman School of Music in 1957, and the DMA at North Texas State University in 1973. She served for many years as organist at University Heights Baptist Church and Minister of Music at Calvary Temple, as well as organist for King's Way United Methodist Church in Springfield. She had played recitals in Argentina, Austria, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, China, and the US. A long-time member of the AGO, Dr. Kean served as Dean of the Springfield chapter. She was also a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the Springfield Music Club, and the Missouri Teachers National Association.

Lawrence I. Phelps died on February 22 of double pneumonia at a hospital in Boston. He was 75 years old. He was born on May 10, 1923 in Boston, and studied conducting and organ at the New England Conservatory of Music. He apprenticed with G. Donald Harrison at the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company in 1944 and worked for the company for five years, and then spent a year as a voicer and tonal finisher with Walter Holtkamp. In 1949 he became an independent consultant and was engaged by the Christian Science Board of Directors to oversee the design, installation and tonal finishing of two organs for the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston. He was appointed tonal director of Casavant Frères in 1958, set up a division at Casavant for mechanical action organs in 1961, and remained with the firm until 1971. Phelps operated his own firm in Erie, Pennsylvania 1973-78. Among the organs he built are the IV/74 mechanical action organ for the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul in Providence, Rhode Island, and the 1973 installation at St. Luke's Church, Ft. Collins, Colorado. From 1982-1995 he was tonal director of Allen Organ Company. Prior to this he was responsible for nearly 800 pipe organs, 60 of which were mechanical action. He left Allen to become curator of organs at the Mother Church in Boston. His first marriage was to Ruth Barrett, organist of the Mother Church, Boston. He later married British organist Gillian Weir. He was a frequent lecturer at organ builder conferences and wrote many articles for a number of organ journals including The Diapason. A memorial service will be held on April 17 at 2 pm at Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston.

--David Burton Brown

Paul B. Batson, Jr. of Girard, Ohio, died on October 29, 2002, at the age of 72, after a 15 year battle with cancer. He was an active organist in the Youngstown, Ohio, area, having twice served as Dean of the Youngstown AGO chapter. He served other roles in the chapter and was an ardent supporter and manager of the chapter?s concert series for many years. He was also a dual member of the Pittsburgh chapter. In addition to his work in the office of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, Mr. Batson served as organist for the First Baptist Church of Girard, Canfield Presbyterian Church, Christ Lutheran Church in Boardman, John Knox Presbyterian Church in Youngstown, Holy Name Roman Catholic Church in Youngstown, and Central Christian Church in Warren. He had studied organ in Salzburg, Austria, while in the U.S. Army, and then at Youngstown State University and Westminster College. He is survived by his mother and two nieces, and was preceded in death by his father and a brother. A memorial service was held on November 16 at Central Christian Church in Warren, where he had served for over 25 years, and on November 17 a two-hour program of organ music was played by members of the Youngstown AGO chapter at Canfield Presbyterian Church.

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George Guest, organist and choirmaster of St. John's College, Cambridge, died on November 20, 2002, at the age of 78. Born on February 9, 1924, in Bangor, Gwynedd, he had enjoyed a 40-year tenure at St. John's (1951-91). In 1947 he was appointed first undergraduate organ student under Rob Orr, and then succeed Orr upon graduation. In 1955 he oversaw the rebuilding of the chapel organ, adding a fourth manual. The addition of a solo trumpet stop was celebrated by a setting of the Evening Canticles by Michael Tippett. Much in demand as a recital organist, Guest had no fewer than eight of his former students go on to be cathedral chief organists.

George Howell Guest was the son of a grocery-man and traveling village organist. He was born in Bangor, North Wales, and was a chorister at the cathedral there and then at Chester, where he later served as sub-organist. He moved to Cambridge after four years in the Royal Air Force. In 1948 he won the John Stewart of Rannoch Scholarship for Sacred Music, and was appointed organist of St. John's in 1951. He also served as university lecturer in music from 1956 to 1982, and held the post of university organist from 1974 to 1991. In 1977 he was made a white Druid for his services to Welsh music. A member of the Council of the Royal College of Organists from 1964 until his death, he was its president from 1978 to 1980. He was also a member of the Council of the Royal School of Church Music from 1983, and was an examiner to the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music from 1959 to 1992. He was president of the Cathedral Organists' Association from 1980 to 1982, and of the Incorporated Association of Organists from 1987 to 1989. He was president of the Friends of Cathedral Music and an honorary fellow of several universities and colleges.

George Guest and the St. John's Choir made some 60 recordings on various labels. His autobiography, A Guest at Cambridge, was first published in 1994 and is now in its second edition. A third edition is planned. He was appointed CBE in 1987. He is survived by his wife Nancy (née Talbot), whom he married in 1959, and by their son and a daughter.

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David H. Williams died on November 22, 2002, the day after his 83rd birthday, at his home in Tucson, Arizona. He was born on November 21, 1919, in Caerphilly, Wales, and arrived in New York City in 1927. There he attended at The Juilliard School, worked at H. W. Gray, and studied organ with Walter Wild. He served churches in New York, Connecticut, and Vermont, before moving to Arizona in 1963, where he was appointed organist and choirmaster at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. From 1966 until 1984, he served as minister of music, organist, choirmaster, and composer in residence at Catalina United Methodist Church, Tucson. A prolific composer of church music, Mr. Williams had more than 200 works published and had been recognized by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers since 1953. He was named an honorary lifetime member of the AGO. A memorial service took place on November 30, 2002, at Catalina United Methodist Church, Tucson. The service was planned in detail by Williams, and included music by Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Bach, Bobby McFerrin, Manz, Parry, as well as by Williams himself and by his son Peter Williams. The combined choir included members of the choirs from Catalina United Methodist Church and Trinity Presbyterian Church, conducted by his son Peter. A tribute written by former Catalina pastor Stan Brown was read, detailing their many years of collaboration. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ruth Williams, five children, and eight grandchildren.