In Memoriam
Eddrie (Kiddo) Kinnison, Mrs. Kinni- son was born Nov. 27, 1924, in Chicago, to Roy and Mabel Lofgren Kiddoo. She received her B.A. degree in music from Illinois Wesleyan University and taught vocal music in the Ottawa grade schools for 15 years. Later she worked at Mc- Donalds in Ottawa. She married John E. Kinnison on July 27, 1947, at the First United Methodist Church, Abington.
Eddrie was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Ottawa and served as the church organist for 40 years until retiring in 1998. She was a member of the Amateur Music Club and the Retired Teachers Association. During her husband John’s tenure as IMEA Executive Director from 1983–1996, Eddrie was invaluable to the IMEA family. In 1994 she was awarded the IMEA Distinguished Service Award.
She is survived by her husband, John, Ottawa; three daughters, Jae Lyn (Charles) Hepner, Lexington; Jill (Terry) Jennings, Ot- tawa; and Jan (Christopher) Butler, Ottawa; one son, John Kin- nison, St. Louis; 14 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Gene F. Oberst, 77, a longtime resident of Rockton passed away Tursday, Sept. 9, 2010, surrounded by his family. Born Feb. 4, 1933, in Evansville, Ind., the son of Ju- lian and Esther Oberst. Gene was married 52 years to his lovely wife, Joyce Oberst, and loved his family, performing, teaching music, traveling and service.
Gene was a teacher and performer of
music and the arts. He received a bachelor’s degree in music education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. In the classroom, he shared his passion and enthusiasm for music with his students. Gene taught for 31 years at Hononegah High School in Rockton as director of bands. He led a variety of mu- sical programs, including concert bands, jazz bands, marching bands, pep bands, flag corps, choirs and musicals. Before his tenure at Hononegah High School, he was the band director in Donovan School District in Donovan. As a musician, Gene performed with the Rockford Symphony and the Beloit Sym-
phony. He performed with many local dance bands, “gigs,” cir- cuses and ice shows at the MetroCentre in Rockford and other venues. He also had the opportunity to perform with famous entertainers, including Bob Hope, Te Temptations and Gladys Knight & the Pips, to name a few. After retiring from teaching, Gene played in the Johnnie Kaye Orchestra for 18 years, per- forming in the Midwest, South and on cruises. He was a master at all woodwind instruments, and especially enjoyed playing the tenor sax. During retirement, Gene also enjoyed traveling with his wife and friends, including frequent cruises to the Carib- bean, Hawaii and Alaska.
Gene was active in community and professional services organi- zations. Gene served a term as district chairman and member of the State Board of the Illinois Music Educators. Served several terms as vice president of the Rockford Musical Association.
Harvey Phillips, 81, was a dis- tinguished professor emeri- tus of the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN Often called the “Paganini of the Tuba, Phillips was a professional free- lance musician from 1950 to 1971 and performed as tuba so- loist throughout the world. His
first professional playing opportunity was with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Band as a teenager. He served as personnel manager for Symphony of the Air, Leopold Stokows- ki, Igor Stravinsky and Gunther Schuller.
He is founder and president of the Harvey Phillips Foundation, Inc. which administers Octubafest, TubaChristmas, TubaSantas, TubaCompany and TubaJazz. He was also the first brass player and first wind player chosen for induction into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.
Mr. Phillips was highly-regarded in the musician and tuba com- munities because his efforts have brought the tuba to a much wider audience. He played many different forms of music in his career, showing many new possibilities for the tuba, and en- couraging many younger players to become soloists and take the instrument in new directions. His creation of TubaChristmas has inspired others to create similar festivals for the tuba.
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Illinois Music Educator | Volume 71 Number 2
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