Nunc dimittis

Nunc Dimittis

Joseph Edwin Lee, Jr., 95, of Knoxville, Tennessee, died February 6. He was born January 22, 1922, in Moscow, Idaho, and raised in rural towns of North Dakota and Wisconsin. Lee attended Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, graduating in 1944 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, that year to participate in the Manhattan Project of World War II as an electrical engineer. Having studied piano and organ, he formed Lee Organ, Inc., building and maintaining organs in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. Lee was a charter member of the American Institute of Organbuilders. Joseph Edwin Lee, Jr., is survived by his six children: Pat (Dave) Arnett of Florida, Becky Szymanski of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Debbie Ice of Texas, Joe (Julie) Lee of Oak Ridge, Cathy Lee of Kansas, and Ardyce Lee of Oak Ridge; one brother, Reverend Paul (Barbara) Lee of Wisconsin; six grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Helen Skuggedal Reed, 68, died March 19 in Evansville, Indiana. An organist, harpsichordist, and pianist, she also served as librarian of the William H. Miller Library in the Vanderburgh Circuit and Superior Courts, Evansville, for more than 30 years.

Born June 19, 1948, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, she began piano studies at age three, later studying piano, organ, and music theory with Maitland Farmer. She earned an associate diploma (Piano) from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (English) with honors from Dalhousie University, Halifax, in 1969, and a Master of Music degree in organ performance from the University of Michigan as a student of Robert Glasgow in 1971.

At the University of Evansville, she served as organist of Neu Chapel (1976–-1983) and as adjunct professor of organ and harpsichord (since 2015). She also served as organist of Washington Avenue Presbyterian Church, Evansville (1984–1990), and Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Evansville (since 1991). She performed as principal harpsichordist of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra (since 1984) and was recently honored for “20 Years of Excellence.” She was a founding member and harpsichordist of the Evansville Chamber Orchestra (1981) and performed with the Harmonie Consort and the Evansville Chamber Singers.

Helen Reed performed numerous solo harpsichord and organ recitals throughout the eastern United States and Canada, for the Royal Canadian College of Organists National Convention in Halifax and for the Historical Keyboard Society of North America Conference at McGill University. Most recently, she was the treasurer for HKSNA. She was an active member of the Evansville AGO chapter for which she served as dean for several years.

Reed’s work as librarian began at the University of Michigan Law School where she worked as an assistant (1972–73). She then became the librarian of the Hochstein Music School, Rochester, New York (1973–1975). After serving as acting archivist in the University of Southern Indiana library (1978–1980), she worked at the William H. Miller Law Library in Evansville. She served as archival consultant of Evansville Museum of Arts and Sciences (1984–85) and executive board member of Four Rivers Area Library (1988–1991).

Helen Skuggedal Reed is survived by her son, Eric Reed; daughter-in-law Sarah Zun; grandson, Oliver Reed; brother and sister-in-law, John Skuggedal and Deirdre Floyd; and former spouse, continued friend, and trusted colleague, Douglas Reed.

A memorial service and concert will be held at First Presbyterian Church, Evansville, on May 20. Contributions may be made to the Evansville Chapter AGO for the restoration of the historic Giesecke Organ, named in her memory: 609 SE Second Street, Evansville, Indiana 47713.

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Raymond Daveluy, Canadian organist, composer and teacher, died September 1. He was 89. As a youth he studied with his father, organist and bandmaster Lucien Daveluy. Daveluy studied music theory with Gabriel Cusson and organ with Conrad Letendre in Montréal and with Hugh Giles in New York City. Daveluy presided over the 5-manual 1960 Beckerath organ at the Oratoire Saint-Joseph on Mont-Royal in Montréal from 1960 until 2002. He served as president of the Académie de musique du Québec and director of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Trois-Rivières.

Peter Jay Hopkins, 57, died September 26. Born April 14, 1959, in Frankfort, Michigan, he was a singer, conductor, organist, harpsichordist, and a noted music and biblical scholar. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees with subsequent doctoral work at Michigan State University and studied with Helmuth Rilling in Stuttgart, Germany. He served the Oregon Bach Festival for thirty years as chorus master, harpsichordist, organist, vocal coach, and singer, winning a Grammy Award in 1997. He served as associate professor of music at Kalamazoo College and artistic director and conductor of the Kalamazoo Bach Festival. With his wife, Paula Pugh Romanaux, he moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to serve as minister of music for Westminster Presbyterian Church, director of the Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys, chorus master of the Grand Rapids Symphony, and founder of the Michigan Bach Collegium. Peter and Paula moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to be co-directors of music for St. Peter’s Episcopal Church for 12 years. In 2014, Hopkins became director of music for St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia; he directed the Virginia Girls Choir and founded the Virginia Boys Choir. Peter Jay Hopkins is survived by his wife, Paula Pugh Romanaux, daughter Hannah Grace Hopkins, brothers James, Randy, Jeff, Paul, and Verne, sisters, Linda and Lynn, and their spouses and partners. 

Robert Burns King, 78, died September 27 in Burlington, North Carolina. Born in 1938, he grew up in Conway, South Carolina, where he began to play for Episcopal and Methodist churches. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music and French at Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina, and a master of sacred music degree from Union Theological Seminary, New York City, where he studied organ with Vernon de Tar. He studied as a Fulbright Scholar in 1961–62 with Maurice Duruflé and Jean Langlais and was the first American to win the Prix de Virtuosité from the Schola Cantorum in Paris. Later, he studied in Germany with Michael Schneider.

His early career was spent as organist for churches in Greenville, South Carolina, Rockaway Beach, New York, and in Paris. After a year of teaching at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, he served for 45 years as organist-choirmaster for an extensive music program at Burlington’s First Presbyterian Church, retiring in 2007. During this time he taught at Elon College (now University), Elon, North Carolina, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNC-G). He was a consultant for various new organ projects, including Schantz and Andover organs at the First Presbyterian Church and for an Andover organ at UNC-G. He performed recitals across the United States as well as in Germany, France, Italy, Great Britain, and Portugal.

Robert Burns King is survived by a brother-in-law, Daniel Burn Shelley, Jr., a niece and nephew, Susan Shelley Sisk and husband Mike, and Daniel Burn Shelley, III, and wife April, and extended family. 

Arthur D. Rhea Jr., former organist and choirmaster for 23 years at the Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore and organ faculty member at the Peabody Conservatory, died August 14 of cancer at his home. He was 97. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Rhea studied music for two years at what is now Carnegie Mellon University, and also studied organ for two years with Carl Weinrich at the Delacroze School of Music in New York City. During World War II, Rhea served in Europe as a field artillery officer with Gen. George S. Patton, Jr.’s 3rd Army. He was discharged in 1946 with the rank of captain. In 1949, he earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Yale University and in 1950 received a master’s in music from Yale. He studied further at the Berkshire Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, and the Salzburg Music Festival, where he studied conducting under Herbert von Karajan.

In 1950, Rhea was named organist and choirmaster at historic Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia. In 1951 he was appointed music consultant and resident harpsichordist for Colonial Williamsburg, Inc., which provided him in 1953 a research grant to study 18th-century music at the British Museum in London. He was also instructor in organ at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg and performed regularly at the Governor’s Palace, including command performances for such figures as England’s Queen Mother and the Crown Prince of Belgium.

Rhea came to Baltimore in 1961 when he was appointed organist and choirmaster at Redeemer. In 1963 he joined the Peabody Conservatory organ faculty, retiring in 1984. Rhea’s compositions included Toccata on an American Folk Tune, Te Deum Laudamus, and Psalm T wenty-Four. He also served on the Service Music Committee, which compiled and edited The Hymnal 1982 of the Episcopal Church. He was a past president of the Association of Anglican Musicians.

Arthur D. Rhea, Jr., is survived by his wife, Dorothea Rhea, sons Clifton L. Rhea and R. Douglas Rhea, and eight grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son, Arthur D. Rhea, III, in 2004.

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Robert V. (Bob) Clement, 67, of Avondale, Pennsylvania, died November 18 after a brief illness. An electrical engineer by profession, his greatest passion was music. He started piano lessons at age five. and on a visit to the U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel at age 17 he discovered the pipe organ. He immediately began lessons and continued to play at churches for weddings and other services throughout his life. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso, and moved to South Carolina after graduation to work for the DuPont Company in the Fibers Division. He served churches for 25 years, ending at Hanover Presbyterian Church.

Clement retired in 2011 after 38 years with DuPont/INVISTA. He married his interests in designing, model building, and music by building his own Hauptwerk organ in the basement of his home. He became treasurer of the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival, joined the board of the Delaware American Guild of Organists chapter, and became the director of the English Cathedral Tour, which offered the chance to play pipe organs in famous cathedrals around the United Kingdom. 

Clement’s other hobbies included architecture (he designed two homes that were built in Lugoff, South Carolina), home computers, and learning about the Titanic. One of his lifelong dreams was completing a trans-Atlantic crossing by boat, which he did in 2012 during the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. He was fascinated with London, its history and cathedrals, and golf. 

Robert Clement is survived by his wife Karen Hudson of Avondale, Pennsylvania; son Chris Clement of Newark, Delaware; daughter Renee and husband Dan Roush of Haymarket, Virginia; grandchildren Megan Diehl, Davis Roush, and Maggie Roush; mother Shirley Fouts; and siblings Brian Clement, Carol Abraham, and Rosemary Schultz.

Richard Gordon Enright, 93, died December 23, 2016, in Atlanta, Georgia. Born on November 29, 1923, in Freeport, Illinois, he had completed two years of study at the University of Dubuque when World War II broke out. Subsequently he served in Patton’s Third Army of the 26th Infantry Division from 1943 until the war ended in 1946.

Enright received his Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University in 1948, followed by a Master of Music degree a year later and a Doctor of Music in 1961. While at Northwestern, he met his future wife, Clara Mae (Sandy) Sandehn, an organist and singer. They were married in 1949. Enright served on the faculty of the School of Music at Northwestern for 35 years, becoming chairman of the department of church music and organ in 1969 and serving until his retirement in 1989, when he was named Professor Emeritus of Church Music and Organ.

Enright pursued additional study at the Royal School of Church Music in England and at the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik in Frankfort, Germany. His text on organ instruction, Fundamentals of Organ Playing, continues in wide use. He lectured at Chicago Theological Seminary and at the Music Teachers Conference in Berkeley. He presented numerous recitals across the United States. He served as associate organist and choirmaster at Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago under the direction of his teacher Barrett Spach, followed by a 22-year tenure as organist and choirmaster at First Presbyterian Church in Evanston. He then served the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest as organist for 23 years, retiring at age 70. In 2005 Dick and Sandy relocated to Atlanta to be closer to their daughter and her family. 

Richard Gordon Enright is survived by his wife of 67 years, Sandy, daughter Catharine (Walton Reeves) and son Steven (Krista) of Fort Worth, and grandsons Harrison Reeves and Kevin and Scott Enright. A memorial service was held January 6 at Trinity Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. Donations may be made in his memory to the Adele McKee Music Fund of Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3003 Howell Mill Road, NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30327.

Thomas Harmon, organist and educator, died November 14 at age 77 in Medford, Oregon, after a long illness. Born in Springfield, Illinois, on February 28, 1939, he began playing the piano at age 6 and organ at age 11. He played regularly at the First Methodist Church, on radio, and in local restaurants and lounges. He also is remembered for renovating the theatre organ from the Orpheum Theatre and moving it to Springfield High School.

Harmon earned bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in music with honors at Washington University, St. Louis, and a master’s degree in music with honors at Stanford University. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study organ in Austria with Anton Heiller. It was there that he met and married fellow Fulbright student Sue Snow in June 1964. His special research interest was the organ works of J. S. Bach.

Harmon’s academic career was devoted to the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), where he began in 1968 as assistant professor and university organist. He went on to become full professor and served as chairman of the Department of Music for seven years. Harmon performed frequently as organist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras, American Youth Symphony, UCLA Philharmonic Orchestra, UCLA Wind Ensemble, and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

Thomas Harmon performed recitals across the United States, with broadcasts on American Public Radio, the BBC, as well as in Mexico, Japan, and numerous European countries. As university organist, he oversaw a major renovation of the UCLA concert hall organ after damage from the 1994 Northridge earthquake. During his tenure at UCLA he also served for 20 years as organist of First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica.

Harmon retired in 2002 to Medford, Oregon, where he continued to perform in concerts and churches. He was preceded in death by his domestic partner, John Crutcher.

Thomas Harmon is survived by his brothers, Charles Harmon of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Bob Harmon of Jacksonville, Florida, and his former wife, Sue Harmon of Ashland, Oregon. A memorial service was held on November 21. Donations may be made to the American Guild of Organists/Southern Oregon Chapter, c/o Margaret Evans, 1250 Green Meadows Way, Ashland, Oregon 97520.

Sister Marie Juan Maney, OP, died December 2, 2016, at Sinsinawa, Wisconsin. Sister Marie Juan was born April 25, 1927, in Big Bend, Wisconsin. She made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican 1947 and her final profession in 1950. She taught music for 37 years, served as liturgist and music director for six years, and directed numerous choirs and coordinated musical events for 24 years, serving communities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, and Minnesota. As a liturgist and music director, she served St. Cajetan Parish, Chicago, 1984–1988, as well as St. Peter Parish, Forest Lake, Minnesota, 1988–1990. She was organist and choir director for St. Augustine Parish, Platteville, Wisconsin, 1990–2010, as well as at her motherhouse in Sinsinawa from 1990 until 2014. There, she also orchestrated the Elizabethan Dinner, the Sinsinawa Summer Organ Concert Series, and the annual Messiah concert at “Sinsinawa Mound.”

Sister Marie Juan Maney is survived by two sisters, Eileen Nettesheim and Margaret Loughney, and her Dominican Sisters with whom she shared life for 69 years. The funeral Mass for Sister Marie Juan Maney was held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa, December 5. Memorials may be made to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, 53824-9701 or online at www.sinsinawa.org.

Philip D. Minnick, 68, died December 26 in Columbus, Ohio. He was born August 25, 1948, in Springfield, Ohio, and attended Capital University of Columbus, from 1966 to 1969, majoring in voice and organ studies. His interest in the pipe organ began in 1960 with the installation of an organ by
M. P. Möller in Central Methodist Church (now Faith United Methodist Church), Springfield. While in college he worked for A. W. Brandt Pipe Organ Company of Columbus. During this time, he met his future business and life partner, Robert W. Bunn, Jr. In 1969, the Bunn=Minnick Pipe Organ Company was formed in Columbus, a firm which has built organs for installations in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Philip Minnick was a founding member of the Ohio Village Singers, a member of the Columbus Maennerchor, the Broad Street United Methodist Church of Columbus, and the American Institute of Organbuilders.

Philip Minnick is survived by his business and life partner, Robert W. Bunn, Jr., of Columbus, sister Lisa of Ft. Myers, Florida, and adopted sister, Karen Freudigman of Columbus.

Nunc Dimittis

Harry Lyn Huff, minister of music for Old South Church, Copley Square, Boston, Massachusetts, died November 3, of complications from a brain aneurism. Born October 25, 1952, in Sevierville, Tennessee, he studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, and later at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. He won competitions sponsored by the American Guild of Organists, the Royal Canadian College of Organists, the National Society of Arts and Letters, and the Music Teachers’ National Association. He was guest artist at the Aspen, Spoleto, Mostly Mozart, Copenhagen, and Avignon summer festivals, and appeared with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the American Composer’s Orchestra, the New Jersey Symphony, the New York Pops, and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

From 1978 until 2004, he enjoyed a career in New York City that included collaborations with artists as varied as Jessye Norman, Judy Collins, Al Hirt, and Lar Lubovitch. His recording projects included organ music of late composers Calvin Hampton and Chris DeBlasio. More recent solo organ recital appearances included the E. Power Biggs Celebrity Series Recitals at Busch Hall, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Peter Schickele’s “PDQ Bach” concerts in Carnegie Hall, New York City.

From 1984 until 2004, Huff was director of music for Calvary Episcopal Church and from 1986 until 2004 organist and artist-in-residence at Union Theological Seminary, both in New York City. He also served as adjunct organist at St. Paul’s Chapel, Columbia University, organist of Temple Shaaray Tefita, and director of choral activities for the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, City University of New York, and artistic director for St. George’s Choral Society.

Harry Huff became minister of music for Old South Church, Boston, in September 2007, supervising the church’s music program including its multiple choirs, jazz ministry, the Old South Ringers, and concert series. He was also lecturer on ministry at Harvard Divinity School, chapter organist in the Memorial Church, Harvard, as well as associate in the music department and an affiliate of Lowell House of Harvard, as well as artist associate of the St. Botolph Club of Boston.

Harry Lyn Huff is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Don and Beth Stanton, nephews Bruce, Billy, and Wesley, and their families. A memorial service was held at Old South Church, Boston, on November 19. Donations may be made to the Harry L. Huff Memorial Fund, Old South Church, 645 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.

Gary Jenkins died September 29, 2016, at the age of 74. He was born in Rockford, Illinois; his parents moved shortly thereafter to Terre Haute, Indiana, then later to Chicago, Illinois, where he spent most of his life. Jenkins served in churches of various denominations, including Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, United Brethren, and United Church of Christ congregations, as well as a synagogue. The churches he served included the First United Methodist Church of Park Ridge, Illinois, and St. Genevieve Catholic Church of Chicago. He also taught at the Park Ridge School for Girls, Park Ridge, Illinois. Jenkins returned to Terre Haute in 2000 to care for his mother. There he served as minister of music for Central Presbyterian Church.

Gary Jenkins is survived by his stepbrother, Patrick O’Malley, of Terre Haute. A memorial service was held October 8 at the Carmelite Monastery of Terre Haute.

Sue Ellen Page Johnson, 67, died November 27, 2016, of brain cancer. She was born June 29, 1949, in Osceola, Iowa, to parents who were church musicians. Johnson earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in music education and sacred music at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Princeton, New Jersey, and taught there as an adjunct instructor. She received a specialist diploma from the Orff Institute of the Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria. She conducted choral festivals for children and youth and taught teacher training seminars around the United States and abroad. She was well known for her arrangements and compositions for children and youth singers.

From 1982 until 2016 she was director of choirs for children and youth at Nassau Presbyterian Church, Princeton, and was founder in 1989 of the Trenton Children’s Chorus, serving as its artistic director until 2004. Among her awards were a New Jersey Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and the distinguished alumni award from Westminster Choir College.

In 1972, she married Eric Johnson, who survives her. Also surviving are her four children: Amanda, Luke, Ben, and Mandy; four brothers: Bill, Richard, Bob, and Dave; and seven grandchildren.

A memorial service for Sue Ellen Page Johnson was held December 20 at Nassau Presbyterian Church. Memorial gifts may be made to the Trenton Children’s Chorus (www.trentonchildrenschorus.org) or CASA for Children (www.casaforchildren.org).