Dr. Carl Woodrow Easterbrook

DR. CARL WOODROW EASTERBROOK Dr. Carl Woodrow Easterbrook, a much-loved resident of the Heritage New Tradition in Sun City West, passed away on Thursday, Dec. 8th at the Sun Health Hospice. The cause was complications from a decade-long bout with cancer. He was born on July 28th, 1916 in Arcadia, NE. His parents were Arthur Easterbrook, a farmer and banker, and Lula Picket Easterbrook. He grew up in Arcadia, where he graduated from High School in 1935. His higher education started in Hastings, NE, with a B.A. degree from Hastings College. While there, he met Helen Louise Marsh, and they were married in 1940. They were both teachers; her subject was English; his was - and always would be - music. During World War II, Carl's teaching career was put on hold for a time when, in lieu of military service, he was enlisted to join a pilot project to grow potatoes in Arcadia to help feed the GIs. After the war, he spent two years as the Director of Religious Education at the First Methodist Church in Portland, OR. Deciding music was his calling, he returned to Arcadia to help work the family farm and teach music at the public school. During this sojourn, daughter, Leslie, joined the family. From then on, Carl taught music: for two years at the public school in Elko and for another two back in Arcadia, during which he spent intensive summers getting his Masters Degree in Music at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. In 1958 and '59, he was the public school's music teacher in Loup City, NE. In 1959, he joined the music faculty of the University of Nebraska at Kearney. In the early '60s, he took a leave of absence to return to the University of Northern Colorado and get his Ed. D. in music education. Degree in hand, he returned to UNK. He spent the rest of his career there, tirelessly teaching, directing vocal groups, composing, arranging and singing, not to mention acting in community theatre productions. He retired as a full professor in 1983. In 1982, in recognition of his contribution to Nebraska's music scene, he was commissioned as an Admiral in The Nebraska Navy, actually the State's honorary society. In gratitude, Carl wrote what became society's official song, acknowledging in melody that "The Nebraska Navy" had no ships and no sea. Carl started his retirement years summering in Nebraska, co-running the Easterbrook family farm with his brother-in-law, Allan Masters; he also began wintering in Sun City West, AZ. The gradual move to Arizona became complete when Carl and Helen sold their home in Kearney in 1994. Retirement didn't slow Carl down a bit; if anything, it made possible the full blossoming of his talents. He became known throughout the West Valley for his rich, operatic tenor voice. He joined and soloed with the choirs of several churches and even sang for a time at the Beth Shalom Temple. His most recent and longest choir affiliation was at the First Presbyterian Church in Sun City. He sang and soloed with the Arizona Masterworks Chorale, the West Valley Chorale (formerly the Symphonic Chorus), and the Voices of Van Ornam. He founded and directed two men's singing groups, the Balladeers and the Heritage Men's Glee Club, for which he often wrote his own arrangements. He wrote operas and produced them, using local talent. He taught music appreciation at the RISE school. Several of the songs and arrangements he wrote were published by the Pawnee Press. When not writing music, he wrote poetry and novel-length family histories. As if all that were not enough, every Thursday afternoon at 4:30, he found time to lead the weekly sing-along at the Heritage New Tradition. In his last, failing days, he managed to attend a sing-along, planning only to sit and listen. He was prevailed upon to lead the singing and did it with his customary gusto. It would prove to be his final sing-along. He was preceded in death by his sisters Mildred "Mic" Camp, Gladys "Tops" Masters, Doris "Dodie" Beindorff and his brother Paul Easterbrook. He is survived by his wife, Helen Marsh Easterbrook, his daughter Leslie Easterbrook and her husband Daniel Wilcox. In accordance with his wishes, his memorial will not be held until after the holidays. It will take place on Friday, January 6th at the Willowbrook Methodist Church, 19390 North 99th Avenue, Sun City, AZ, at 11:00 a.m. Luncheon will be served after the service. In lieu of flowers, please direct your gifts to the Sun City West Hospice, P.O. Box 2015, Sun City, AZ 85372. Dr. Carl Easterbrook's full-throated voice may be stilled, but it will never be forgotten by anyone who has heard it. Today, he is not just singing in the heavenly choir; he is no doubt the tenor section leader and soloist.

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