At 3 pm on Saturday, May 8, 2010, the Maestro embarked on his newest adventure of the spirit. Your words of support and encouragement during the Maestro's New Adventure were greatly appreciated by the Maestro and his family.
Richard W. Stroede
September 25, 1939 - May 8, 2010
A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to:
The Defiance College
The Richard W. Stroede Scholarship Fund
701 North Clinton
Defiance, Ohio 43512
Farewell, Maestro. Bravo.
Son of Maestro
Daughter of Maestro
Wife of Maestro
RIP poppy, you were the best man I've ever known. Yours was truly a life to be celebrated. I love you, Bear.
ReplyDelete"God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile." ~ Quote by Max Lucado - I emailed this quote to Dick last week. He meant so much to so many and will be missed greatly! The choirs in heaven have welcomed our Maestro! Prayers will continue for your family!
ReplyDeletePeace and love to all. To those who have journeyed with Dick and to the Stroede family. We have known you for more than 30 years.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Maestro for the musical opportunities, friendship, and laughter. I always felt welcome in your home and enjoyed our journey together.
Barb
A Heartfelt farewell to a dear friend who taught us how to leave this earth with grace and style... we who have loved you like a brother will miss you but we know that you are in a better place and that we will be with you in paradise someday. Thank you for being our friend, our rock, always there ready to lend us a hand.....you have left some big shoes to fill...our artistic community has lost one of the best... farewell dear Maestro!
ReplyDeleteMarion and Bob Hanson
"All things shall perish from under the sky. Music alone shall live, music alone shall live, music alone shall live, never to die."
ReplyDeleteThank you, Maestro, for the music and the love.
Ave and Cliff
The journey was too brief but the memories will live on forever. Love and prayers to Emily & family.
ReplyDeleteWhat, I wonder, is the measure of a man but the number of people that he can and does touch in his life? If that is the case, than Dick met that measure and then some. His family, the pair that he and his wife made for 49 years and 11 months, and his two children are the start. The bunch of close friends who sang and played and taught and laughed and no doubt cried and grew old together and shared countless memories knew his measure. So did the crowd of faculty colleagues from a five decade career who treasured and, to continue the theme, counted on him for good humor, steadfast friendship and many other things both large and small. Thousands of students sat at his feet and learned from him in many spaces, including classrooms, halls. churches, auditoriums, orchestra pits, and choir lofts. Tens of thousands heard the millions of notes that he played, sang and directed over the span of his career, for much of his life was closely tied to the numbers that make music work. One can only imagine the incredible number of souls he touched in all these ventures in his 70 years on this earth. That he continued to teach and to reach out and lead and comfort with his blog, even as he faced challenges and obviously numbered days just confirm all of this.
ReplyDeleteI am but one of those he touched, and I am saddened by the loss of this soul. I grieve, but I also know that I (all of us) should really celebrate a life that did touch so many people. I am sitting here with a simple meal of good bread, cheese, a great pear and a very large glass of wine and it comforts me. Music is playing loudly and it moves and touches me. And I can't think of one single way better to remember and celebrate an important meaningful life.
Rest in peace...
While sitting in church this morning, thinking about Dick, I had a wonderful vision. Dick was dressed in his tux, readers resting on his nose, baton in hand and a small white towel close by.He was directing a choir of angels already!
ReplyDelete"The trouble with music appreciation in general is that people are taught to have too much respect for music; they should be taught to love it instead."
ReplyDeleteIgor Stravinsky
Dick taught us to love the music. I will miss him.
So long for awhile brother. Fritz
ReplyDeleteI'll raise a glass to you, my friend, and miss you always. Thanks for the great memories and for teaching me so much about music, about life, about living. Now you've shown me how to take a bow and leave the audience wanting more.
ReplyDeleteHe left us way too soon. How much I learned from him, admired him, and appreciated him. I look forward to the day I can join the Heavenly presentation of the "Messiah", or play one more Carl King or Sousa march under his baton.
ReplyDeleteLove and prayers to his family and all of us who loved him.
Penny and John
Emily & Family....With heavy hearts, we bid farewell to the Maestro. He was an extraordinary human being, who taught us to not only love the music we performed, but to embrace it with a new perspective. Our community will be forever enriched by his presence, selfless work, and his pure love of music. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, and we will remember Lord Richard, and smile!
ReplyDeleteLove, Susi, Jamie, Tony & Kristy
Dick hired me to play a piano concert on his series at the small church in Defiance. I remember, while warming up, that he was going around the room, dusting the window sill, polishing the wood, doing all the little things one could possibly think of. He was that music series, it was amazing! Although I only met him a few times, I feel sorely his disappearance!
ReplyDeleteMay 8, 2011
ReplyDeleteDear Friend: It's a year today that we said farewell...you have been remembered often and stories of you lovingly shared among many friends...you have not been forgotten. The gifts you shared, your visions for Defiance's Cultural Community continue to thrive...Today is a lovely May day, redbuds in bloom, spring flowers waving in the breeze, the kind of day you often enjoyed. I am sure you are enjoying a wonderful day, just wanted you to know you were thought of....love, Marion
Today is October 25, 2013. Happy 71st birthday to you Richard....May the angels present to you the most delicious birthday cake ever! I attended a meeting today at the Stroede Center for the Arts....we are hoping to complete your dream of the renovation of the lower floor of the "Little Church on Third". I miss you, Dick, and I am thinking happy thoughts of times past in your company. With love, Marion
ReplyDeleteHello Old Friend: It has been four years since you began your new journey....those of us you left behind, well, we are older, too... a few more grey hairs, a few more aches and pains... it is amazing how often your name comes up in conversation... you are far from being forgotten. Emily is doing well, she does not think so, but I do. You are missed by many. The Stroede Center is surviving, your vision is there...we'll keep it going. Marion
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