Dona Lee Brandon died June 16 in Davis, California. She was 81. She began organ study while in high school and earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Park College in Missouri, and a master of sacred music degree from Union Theological Seminary, where she studied organ with Robert Baker. At UTS she met fellow student George Brandon, and married him in 1954. The Brandons taught at Eureka College in Illinois, and William Penn College in Iowa. In 1962 they moved to Davis, California, where Mrs. Brandon worked as an organist and choir director, serving at Davis Community Church (1963–67) and at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church (from 1967 until her retirement in 1995). She was also affiliated with the Music School at the University of California–Davis, accompanying choral groups, teaching organ, and playing recitals and for commencement ceremonies. A longtime member of the Sacramento AGO chapter, she proclaimed her enthusiasm for the music of Bach with her license plate, “JSB FAN.” Dona Lee Brandon was preceded in death by her husband George, and is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Jim, and her sister Melva Ann.
Richard W. Litterst died August 9 at age 83 in Loves Park, Illinois. Born in Decatur, Illinois, February 4, 1926, he attended the University of Louisville, served in the U.S. Navy, and then completed his studies at the University of Illinois and Union Theological Seminary School of Sacred Music. He served as organist, choirmaster, and handbell director at churches in Westfield, New Jersey; Omaha, Nebraska; and Rockford and Freeport, Illinois. In 1959, he was appointed to Second Congregational Church, Rockford. He also conducted the Rockford Pops Orchestra for more than 30 years, and taught at Rockford College, Rock Valley College, and Beloit College.
Litterst served as dean of the Rockford AGO chapter and was a member of the Mendelssohn Club and Rotary. He was an early member of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, serving the organization in many capacities, including as president. He was nationally known as a handbell director and for his arrangements and compositions for handbells. Most recently he served as organist for the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Rockford, playing his last service there on July 22.
A memorial service was held August 14 at First Presbyterian Church, Rockford, with a number of organists from the Rockford AGO and the Rockford Pipe Band participating, with alumni of the Martin Ringers of Second Congregational Church playing music by Litterst; other music in the service was by Karg-Elert, Franck, and Widor. Richard W. Litterst is survived by his wife Judy, son, two daughters, and grandson.
Ivan Ronald Olson died June 16 in Sacramento, California. Born in Soldier, Iowa, on March 15, 1928, he played his first church service while in the sixth grade and then took over as organist after confirmation on through high school until he left for college in 1946. He received a BA in music from the University of Iowa in 1950 and taught music at Morehead, Iowa, where he served as choir director at Bethesda Lutheran Church. He then earned a master’s degree from the University of Texas, Austin, and began teaching at Concordia Lutheran College of Austin in 1952, where he continued until 1964. During that tenure he served as organist-choirmaster at First English Lutheran Church and Redeemer Lutheran Church in Austin. He married Danna Foster in July 1956.
Olson took a leave of absence from Concordia to study at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where he was awarded a Doctor of Sacred Music degree in 1963. In 1964 he joined the faculty at American River College, Sacramento, California, and became the organist-choirmaster at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. He also served as accompanist for many vocal recitals.
Olson moved to Fair Oaks in the summer of 1967 and joined the staff at Pioneer Congregational Church in 1969. He was an active member of the American Guild of Organists and served as dean of the Sacramento chapter. He retired in 1992 from American River College and Pioneer Congregational Church, and then served as interim organist-choirmaster at St. John’s Lutheran Church, where he had been a member since 1967. At St. John’s he worked in adult education, served on the church council, and looked after the concert series for three seasons. He did substitute organist work until grandchildren began to arrive. Ivan Olson belonged to the Rose Society and spent many happy hours tending his many roses and a vegetable garden.
Theodore W. Ripper died on July 2 at age 83. Born on August 1, 1925 in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He served as university organist at the University of South Dakota and then taught at Carnegie Mellon University from 1949 to 1955. He married Gladys McMillan on June 15, 1953 in Coraopolis. They moved to Atlanta in 1955, where he was minister of music for Peachtree Christian Church for 10 years.
Ripper then taught at Millikin University and served at First United Methodist Church in Decatur, Illinois, 1965–75, and was director of music at Grace United Methodist Church in Venice, Florida, 1975–84. He next served as director of music at First United Methodist Church, Carlsbad, New Mexico, for eight years. After retirement, he continued to work in Roswell as music director for St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.
Mark P. Schantz died at age 58 on June 13 at his home in Walton Hills, Ohio. The son of Bruce and Grace Putnam Schantz of Orrville, Ohio, he was a graduate of Otterbein College and had a lengthy career with American Greetings of Cleveland, from which he took early retirement to start his own business, Schantz Woods, which designed, fabricated, and restored furniture. He also served on the board of directors of the Schantz Organ Company of Orrville, assisting his brother Victor, the president of the firm. Mark P. Schantz is survived by his wife Lee, children Kate, Jessa, Erick, and John, and siblings Ann Schantz Perlmutter, Victor Schantz, Jill Schantz Frank, Ted Schantz, and Peter Schantz.
