Spaulding Donald Vincent

Donald Vincent Spaulding Beloved Husband, Father and Orchestra Director, Donald Vincent Spaulding passed away at home in Earlysville, Va., on April 8, 2019, after a life filled with music, laughter and love. Mr. Spaulding was born on January 6, 1946, in Bloomfield, N.J. and graduated from NYU with a degree in Classical Guitar Performance. He began teaching in Toms River 48 years ago, where he had a vision to create a string program for the Toms River school system. Over the course of 30+ years, he built a community around music where everyone was welcome. Thousands of students some building music into a lifelong commitment, others passing through his orchestra room for one year all brought together around the spirit of music. Mr. Spaulding saw music as a way to teach life lessons. He believed music was a way for students to connect with others they may not have otherwise known, perhaps learning a little about themselves along the way. Bringing musicians together was his calling in life and, although he was too humble to acknowledge, his impact was profound. We are forever grateful for Mr. Spaulding's contributions as a teacher. He established the now district-wide Toms River School String Program (for a brief time with his dear friend and colleague Jerry Held), was the Founder of the TR Express (Toms River High School North's only Country-Western Band, where he took the lead for his signature song, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"), was a teacher and pit musician for Ocean County College, and Founder of the Garden State Youth Orchestra, the Toms River Adult Orchestra (he lovingly referred to as the "Geezer Philharmonic"), and the Waynesboro Youth Orchestra. He expanded his skills as a luthier and teacher for Garden State Music while studying under the famed instrument restorer Hans Nebel and mentored skills of others. The memory of Mr. Spaulding lives on through his students, colleagues and family. He is survived by his wife, June (who always jokes about playing second fiddle); his son, Donald Spaulding (an accomplished musician who played for several orchestras and Broadway) and his wife, Melissa (flute); his daughter, Kristen Spaulding Rabourdin (who brings out her cello for Christmas songs every year); and his four grandchildren, Marc Rabourdin, Hope Rabourdin (violin), Aidan Rabourdin (trumpet), and Jackson Spaulding (trumpet). He was adored by his family, be it from the back of the auditorium or from a seat in the orchestra, and we are forever grateful to be part of his legacy. All are welcome to celebrate his life on Sunday, May 5, 2019, with a luncheon at 12:45 p.m. at Chestnut Grove Baptist Church in Earlysville, Va., followed by a memorial service in the Sanctuary at 2 p.m. An additional service will be held in Toms River, N.J.; an announcement will be shared at a later date. And, of course, there will be music.