Obituaries: Marjorie Ruth Schempf
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| Marjorie Ruth Schempf |
June 17, 2011
Marjorie Ruth Schempf, recently retired piano teacher and Director of Handbells at the Cornwall Presbyterian Church, passed away at home in her sleep on Saturday, June 4, 2011 in Cornwall following a long illness. She was the widow of COL William H. Schempf, the conductor emeritus of the West Point Band. Marjorie lived a rich, full life influencing generations of musicians and family. She celebrated her 90th birthday by performing a recital of duo-piano music at her home this past December.
She was born in Iowa in 1920, the only child of Marion Lindquist and William Weidner, both originally from Jamestown, NY. She graduated from the Houston Conservatory of Music and assisted Ruth Burr, a prominent piano teacher in Houston. In 1945, Marjorie enrolled in the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where she earned a Masters degree in Music Theory. There she met and married William H. Schempf who had returned from his WWII duties to resume his graduate assistantships.
She was an Associate Professor of Theory, Counterpoint and Piano at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA; she founded, directed, and arranged for the Handbell Choirs at the Cornwall Presbyterian Church for 26 years. During over 60 years of private piano teaching, she shaped hundreds of young lives. She also held leadership positions in the Cornwall P.T.A., the Cornwall Garden Club, The Ingleside Reading Club, the West Point Ladies Reading Club, and the Hudson-Catskill Music Teachers Association. Her principal teachers included Ruth Burr of Houston, Raymond Wilson of Eastman School, Dr. De Bodo of Philadelphia and Albertine Votapek of East Lansing, Michigan. She performed regularly as soloist and as piano-duo partner with Margaret Small, as recently as April 29!
In addition to her music interests, she cherished her pets which included many cats, hutches of rabbits, flocks of cochin bantam chickens, four ducks, and two horned toads. Marjorie enjoyed sewing, gardening, and learned to love skiing and sailing with her husband.
She is survived by her son Bryan Heaton (Marilyn Vandel) Schempf; grand-children Allison Schempf, and Laura (Marc) Gori, and great-grandsons Marco and Theodore Gori, all in Virginia. Marjorie is also survived by daughter, Ruthanne, in Cornwall; and son, Kevin William (Jo Ann Schoolcraft) Schempf, and grand-children: Annika, Micaela, Erik and Karenna in Ohio. She also leaves behind her nephew John Brewer (Karin) Schempf of Arizona, her niece Paula (David) Carroll of Hawaii, and her nephew Peter (Carol) Schempf in Pennsylvania and their families.
The family would like to thank everyone (family and friends, members of CPC) who made it possible for Mom to spend her last weeks at home with cats and pianos. In particular, we are most grateful to her friends Margaret Small, Phyllis Winkel, Elsa Cameron, Emily Faxon, Pastor Virginia Murray, and Marjorie’s Visiting Angel, Pam Johnson.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 25 at the Cornwall Presbyterian Church. Burial Service will be at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 28 at the West Point Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Cornwall Presbyterian Church Music Fund, Hudson Valley Society for Music, Hudson-Catskill Music Teachers Association or to the charitable organization of one’s choice. Arrangements are being handled by Quigley Bros. Funeral Home in Cornwall-on-Hudson. (845) 534-9424.
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