Final Notes: Compiled by Ann Gibbens Davis and Ann Geiler

ANN GEILER, PHI THETA, ST. LOUIS ALUMNI STLALUMNIMPE@GMAIL.COM

Marilyn Dixon Altrock Dietrichs

Beta Tau, May 1928 Died February 25, 2021

Vocalist, Marilyn graduated from Lasell College in 1947 and studied music and voice at Boston University, the Juilliard School, and Brevard Summer Music Camp. She was a lyric soprano and sang roles with the Atlanta Opera Company and with the Atlanta Opera Arts. She performed concerts in the Southeast, including performances at the Symphony Hall Memorial Arts Center with Robert Shaw conducting, the Governor’s Mansion, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, Chastain Park Amphitheatre, the Pro-Mozart Society of Atlanta, and numerous college campuses. In 1978, she founded the Atlanta Repertory Opera Company in Atlanta, offering a performing opera vehicle for many rising singing artists in the Southeast. As founder and artistic director, she was also the president of the Trustees for four years. The AROC mounted 60 major box office opera performances in Atlanta from 1978 through 1990, including a number of concerts presented in the Georgia Public School System. Marilyn was an active member of the Pro-Mozart Society of Atlanta after joining in 1966 and served as president for 3 years. She served as president of the Atlanta Alumni chapter for 3 years. She was a lifelong member of the Christian Science church and served as a soloist for many years as Second Reader and in numerous other capacities in several branch churches in the metro-Atlanta area. She composed a book of religious songs, “Soloist Concordance,” for church soloists. Marilyn was listed in International Who’s Who in Music.

Morlitha Zwannella Dukuly

Phi Tau, February 7, 1993 Died January 12, 2021

Flute, Music Therapy, Morlitha studied at the University of North Texas, Denton, and received a degree in music from Texas Woman’s University, Denton, in 2019. She was in her second semester of studying for her master’s degree in music therapy when she passed away. Her primary instrument was flute, and being an avid music lover, she learned to play the piccolo, guitar and ukulele. She loved working with children and devoted much of her time to working with them. Morlitha had an outgoing personality and when she was not involved with music, she loved watching movies, shopping and crocheting.

Rosemarie (Hinman) Foster

Phi Rho, February 19, 1930 Died February 6, 2021

Vocalist, Rosemarie was a musically trained vocalist. She was in the former evening chapter of the Minneapolis-St. Paul chapter and continued in the joint chapter when the two merged some years ago. She loved to sing in the choir at Bethany and Bloomington Covenant Churches.

June (Foreman) Gwyn

Kappa, November 13, 1945 Died November 24, 2018

Educator, Vocalist, June graduated from Southport High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She received her bachelor’s degree from the Jordan School of Music at Butler University. June taught music for many years in public schools and retired in 1974. Since the 1940s, she and her husband were the leaders in the choir, and her trained soprano voice provided inspiration for many years in the solos she sang. She is still remembered fondly by students whom she taught more than 50 years ago at Fall Creek Elementary School in Indianapolis.

Elaine Frances (Thalman) Hall

Xi, Jan. 20, 1926 Died November 23, 2020

Pianist, Elaine attended the University of Kansas where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in the with a major in music in 1947. She was the head secretary of the Council on Teacher Education in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and was a leader of the Civil Engineering Wives Group. In 2004, she and her husband established within the University of Illinois Foundation the William J. and Elaine F. Hall Endowed Professorship in Civil and Environmental Engineering. As an accomplished pianist, her many volunteer activities included the performance of music programs for nursing and retirement homes and other organizations. With a duet partner, she performed lecture recitals on composers for various groups. Elaine was a member of the Urbana-Champaign Alumni chapter and was featured in the Winter 2020 issue of The Triangle in recognition of being a member of Mu Phi Epsilon for 70 years.

Dr. Nelita (True) Laires

Gamma, 1936 Died January 17, 2021

Piano, Educator, According to Clavier Companion magazine, Nelta was “one of the world’s most sought-after and beloved pianist-teachers.” Since she made her debut at age 17 with the Chicago Symphony in Orchestra Hall and her New York debut with the Juilliard Orchestra in Avery Fisher Hall, her career took her to the major cities of Western and Eastern Europe, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Iceland, New Zealand, Brazil, Australia, Canada, India, and to Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as to all 50 states in the U.S. She was a visiting professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia, where she performed and conducted masterclasses, and traveled to the People’s Republic of China more than 20 times for recitals and masterclasses. She was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Michigan as a student of Helen Titus, studied with Sascha Gorodnitzki at the Juilliard School and earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree with Leon Fleisher at

the Peabody Conservatory. She also studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris on a Fulbright grant. Nelta taught at Interlochen Arts Academy and Camp, the University of Maryland, College Park, Eastman School of Music, and in hundreds of workshops and master classes across the globe. Nelita was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan, the Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching at Eastman, the 2002 Achievement Award from the Music Teachers’ National Association, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Graduate Education from the University of Rochester, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Keyboard Pedagogy Conference. She was the keynote speaker and presenter at the Mu Phi Epsilon Convention in Rochester, New York, in 2011.

Maurine (Malster) Ruggles

Phi Omicron, July 17, 1920 Died January 4, 2019

Piano, Maurine loved music and played popular songs on the piano by ear as a child. She studied piano in Cleveland with Eunis Podis and Clive Lythgoe, among others. She performed Gershwin’s Concerto in F with the Cleveland Heights High School orchestra in 1970. She studied piano at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She enjoyed playing piano duets with her husband. She was an active member and past president of the Fortnightly Music Club of Cleveland and the Music and Drama Association.

Michelle Nicole Saiz

Alpha Nu, April 28, 1993 Died November 30, 2020

Education, Voice, Michelle Saiz graduated from West Texas A & M University in 2014. She was passionate about music and art, but her true love was teaching. After graduation she taught at South Elementary in Midland, Texas, and was recruited in 2019 to teach at the Midland Academy Charter Schools. She had a marvelous voice, and she would use her gift to bring joy to all those around her. The Alpha Nu chapter posted this message about Michelle: “Thank you, Michelle, for blessing our lives with your friendship, dedication, and service. Although you are not here with us, you will never be gone from our hearts.”

David-aken Smith

Zeta Kappa, June 23, 1997 Died April 5, 2021

Clarinet, Saxophone, Flute, David enrolled at Young Harris College in 2016, where he was studying towards a performance degree. David was talented in playing many instruments, including the clarinet, saxophone and flute but his goal was to be proficient in most every instrument. He was initiated into the Zeta Kappa chapter, where he was a cherished member and friend. David was preparing to give his senior recital on April 11, and graduate on May 8. David was known for being a talented and dedicated jazz musician.

Glennis (Metz) Stout

Phi Pi, September 11, 1921 Died October 18, 2020

Flute, Glennis Metz Stout was a native of Wichita, Kansas, and held degrees in flute from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and the University of Michigan. She performed with the New Orleans Symphony, the Kansas City Philharmonic, the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra was principal flutist with the Plymouth Symphony Orchestra, and was a member of the Ann Arbor Civic Band. She maintained a private studio for 40 years in addition to teaching at the University of Michigan, the New England Music Camp and in Taiwan as a Fulbright Fellow. She was an emeritus member of the Ann Arbor Alumni chapter, a member of the National Flute Association where she was editor of the Flutist Quarterly magazine and was a member of SEMFA (Southeast Michigan Flute Association). Glennis had an extensive collection of antique flutes ranging from Baroque to modern day and traveled the country giving demonstrations on these fine instruments. She also performed throughout the world with the International Flute Orchestra.

Kathie (Griffis) von Schwarz

Phi Kappa, May 19, 1948 Died February 14, 2021

Educator, Piano, Violin, Kathie graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in music education and went on to receive a master’s degree in music education. She played violin in the Scandinavian Orchestra in Grosse Pointe Farms and met her husband in that same orchestra. She served as president of her local Mu Phi Epsilon chapter for many years. Kathie taught elementary school at Cathedral School in Detroit and taught elementary music in L’Anse Creuse Public Schools. She and her husband enjoyed the theater and going to concerts. They especially loved the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Opera, and GP Theater Productions, and were active members of the Fine Arts Society of Detroit. Kathie sang in the Christ Church of Grosse Pointe Chorale for many years and helped the Church of the Messiah in Detroit with a youth scholarship fund that helps youth with music scholarships.