Joseph Corkedale of Newburgh, New York, died on November 1 at the age of 60. A partner in the firm A&J Reed & Pipe Organ Service of Newburgh, he was a lifetime resident of the area, born in Newburgh on May 17, 1940. Over the course of his 32 years of working on organs, he designed and built 97 pipe organs for various churches in the Hudson Valley and New York City. He also restored and maintained over 300 organs for various churches during his career. He served as organist in several area churches including Highland Mills Methodist Church, Vails Gate Methodist Church, and St. Thomas Episcopal Church, retiring on Christmas Eve 1999 after 20 years of service. His musical career began at Hope Chapel in Salisbury Mills, playing for Sunday School and for evening services. He was a member of Calvary Presbyterian Church in Newburgh.
Granville Munson, 80, died October 23 in Richmond, Virginia, after a long illness. He was the organist and choirmaster of St. Stephen's Church, Richmond, from 1947–1985, and was dean of the Virginia (now Richmond) AGO Chapter from 1951–1953. Upon his retirement from St. Stephen's Church, Bishop Robert Hall named him Consultant in Church Music to the Diocese of Virginia. He grew up in Washington, DC, attended St. Alban's School, and was a choirboy at Washington National Cathedral under the cathedral's first organist and choirmaster, Edgar Priest. His first organ teacher was Jean Phillips, assistant organist of the cathedral. After his voice changed, he continued to serve as the cathedral's head crucifer until graduation from St. Alban's School. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1942, and was organist and choirmaster of St. Mary's Church, Hamilton Village, Philadelphia. Following service in World War II, Mr. Munson studied with T. Tertius Noble in New York, and it was Dr. Noble who referred him to the Richmond church. Shortly after coming to Richmond, he joined the faculty of St. Catherine's School and St. Christopher's School, diocesan schools for girls and boys, respectively, whose campuses are adjacent to St. Stephen's Church, where he remained for many years teaching music and directing the choirs. He was also a founding member of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra in the mid-1950s, and served for many years in leadership positions in the National Cathedral Association. At his funeral, held in St. Stephen's Church on October 27, over 100 choir members from St. Stephen's Church, St. Catherine's and St. Christopher's Schools participated in the service. Service music included organ works of Bach (original works, and works arranged by Virgil Fox, with whom Mr. Munson also studied); Psalms 46 and 23 sung to Anglican Chant; "How lovely is thy dwelling place" from the Brahms Requiem; O how amiable by Vaughan Williams; and two hymns, Sine Nomine (Vaughan Williams) and Ora Labora (T. Tertius Noble). Following the closing prayers, the choir sang the chorale Vor deinen Thron tret ich hiermet followed by the Bach chorale prelude of the same title. The Widor Toccata from Symphony V concluded the service. The organist was Neal Campbell, Mr. Munson's successor. The choirs from St. Christopher's and St. Catherine's Schools were directed by J. C. Stephenson, III, accompanied by Gregory Vick.
