Stuart McGee Calhoon

Stuart McGee Calhoon, 81, died Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009 at his home in Des Moines after a courageous four-year battle with cancer. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Sep. 3, at Westover Funeral Home, 6337 Hickman Rd. in Des Moines. A celebration of Stu's life for family and friends will follow visitation at 7 p.m. at Sam and Gabe's Italian Bistro, 8631 Hickman Rd. in Urbandale.
Born Jan. 6, 1928, he grew up in Scranton, Pa., graduating from Beaver Falls High School. He enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1946 and served in the Philippines towards the end of WWII. After his service with the Coast Guard, he was a piano technician and a noted Jazz musician in the Iowa circuit.
His career as a pianist began in the latter 1940's when he began playing jazz piano in Pittsburgh, Pa. He first played in Des Moines in 1953 with the Jack Cole Band. A year later, he made his way to Southern California., returning to Iowa in 1970. Since his return, he has performed with a who's who of the area's best musicians in just about every venue possible and his contributions to the public and jazz community includes his innovative, "Trial of Jazz," which appeared on Iowa Public Television, and the annual Des Moines area "Jazz in July" program. He was honored by his fellow musicians in 2003 by being inducted into the Iowa Jazz Hall of Fame.
He was an educated gentleman, a sensitive and inquisitive seeker of knowledge, who was interested in much more than jazz and also wanted to expand his musical horizons. He attended Grandview College, Drake University and Iowa State University, studying with some of the Iowa's best music faculty. His accomplishments during his lifetime were many, including the recent completed and released CD album "Stu Calhoon Trio 2009."
He was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Frances McGee Calhoon; and a brother, Harvey Calhoon. He is survived by his wife, Nadine Erixson Calhoon; two daughters, Claudine Mitchell and Susan Otteros; four sons, Jim Erixson, Tom Calhoon, Mark Calhoon and James Calhoon; four granddaughters, Tiffany, Kailey, Lora and Lisa; six grandsons, Chad, Christopher, Kevin, Ryan; Matthew and Mark; four great-grandchildren, Deklan, Nikolai, Adia and Autumn.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the "Community Jazz Center" for the Hall of Fame. Send to CJC c/o Phyllis Leaverton, 2921 Patricia Dr. Urbandale, IA 50322. Sign the online guest book at www.ilesfuneralhomes.com

Born January 6, 1928, he grew up in Beaver Falls, Pa., graduating from Beaver Falls High School. He enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1946 and served in the Philippines during WWII. He was a piano technician and a noted Jazz musician in the Iowa circuit. His career as a pianist began in the latter 1940's when he began playing jazz piano in Pittsburgh, Pa. He first played in Des Moines in 1953 with the Jack Cole Band. A year later, he made his way to Southern California., returning to Iowa in 1970. Since his return, he has performed with a who's who of the area's best musicians in just about every venue possible and his contributions to the public and jazz community includes his innovative, "Trial of Jazz," which appeared on Iowa Public Television, and the annual Des Moines area "Jazz in July" program. He was honored by his fellow musicians in 2003 by being inducted into the Iowa Jazz Hall of Fame.
He was an educated gentleman, a sensitive and inquisitive seeker of knowledge, who was interested in much more than jazz and also wanted to expand his musical horizons. He attended Grandview College, Drake University and Iowa State University, studying with some of the Iowa's best music faculty. His accomplishments during his lifetime were many, including the recent completed and released CD album "Stu Calhoon Trio 2009."
He was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Frances McGee Calhoon; and a brother, Harvey Calhoon. He is survived by his wife, Nadine Erixson Calhoon; two daughters, Claudine Mitchell and Susan Otteros; four sons, Jim Erixson, Tom Calhoon, Mark Calhoon and James Calhoon; four granddaughters, Tiffany, Kailey, Lora and Lisa; six grandsons, Chad, Christopher, Kevin, Ryan; Matthew and Mark; four great-grandchildren, Deklan, Nikolai, Adia and Autumn; and a daughter-in-law, Lorna.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the "Community Jazz Center" for the Hall of Fame, 2921Patricia Dr. Urbandale, IA 50322. Sign the online guest book at www.ilesfuneralhomes.com.