Paul Edmund Bierley

Paul Bierley Obituary

Bierley Paul Edmund Bierley, 90, of Columbus, passed away April 9, 2016. He was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1926, the son of William and Minnie Bierley. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as a B-25 radio operator/gunner. After marriage to Pauline Allison in 1948 he moved to Columbus, graduating from Ohio State University in 1953 in aeronautical engineering. He was employed by North American Aviation and subsequently Ellanef Manufacturing at Port Columbus. His love of music enriched his life from his earliest years. His affiliation with musical organizations included: Wheeling Steel Band of Portsmouth, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, North American Aviation Concert Band, World Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Concert Band, Brass Band of Columbus, Ohio Village Brass, the New Sousa Band, and the Virginia Grand Military Band. He is well known for his scholarly books and publications on American composers John Philip Sousa and Henry Fillmore. In 1976 he founded Integrity Press and the Integrity Research Foundation to bring to light and publish band-related literature. He authored many magazine articles, wrote liner notes for CD and LP series, lectured on band subjects, and was known for his portrayal of Uncle Sam as a narrator at band concerts. He was the recipient of numerous music-related awards, most notably an Honorary Doctor of Music from Ohio State University and the Society of American Music Lifetime Achievement Award. He was a charter member of the International Tuba and Euphonium Society and a proud member of the Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association. He and Pauline were long-time residents of Westerville, Ohio, and members of the Church of the Messiah United Methodist Church and its Teammates Sunday School class. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Pauline. He is survived by son, John Bierley (Kathryn) of Newark; and daughter, Lois Walker (Bill) of Polebridge, MT; grandchildren, Elizabeth Walker (Jim) of Kalispell, MT, and Melissa Christian (Matt) of Hilliard; great-grandchildren, Zia and Kaiya Walker, Alex Rockwell, and Aria Christian; niece, Betty Holling (Doug) of Colorado; nephew, Blaine Bierley (Carolyn) of Hilliard; and niece, Susan Mauk (Dana) of Wheelersburg; a brother-in-law, Ralph Allison (Helga) of Alabama; and numerous grand nieces and nephews. His remains have been donated to the Ohio State University College of Medicine. A memorial service will be held May 7, 2016 at Northwest Christian Church in Upper Arlington. Friends are encouraged to make memorial contributions to their favorite charity in Paul's honor. Online condolences may be made to www.schoedinger.com

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Published by The Columbus Dispatch from Apr. 11 to Apr. 13, 2016.

Memories and Condolences
for Paul Bierley

4 Entries

September 25, 2016

Here it is September 2016 and I notice that Paul Brierley has passed on. I am mortified and saddened that such a soul has gone and I did not find out until now. I saw, but did not meet, Mr. Brierley at the Sousa Band Centennial in Plainfield, NJ in 1992. I had taken a picture of him directing the Ridgewood Concert Band and had sent him a copy. Since then, I had purchased his books on Sousa and Fillmore with inscriptions from him, the latest on the Sousa Memoir, saying " to my good friend...".I shall treasure it. I regret not contacting him since then, but life gets in the way of most things. I shall remember him as a gentleman and a fine band historian; one that made the history personal and wonderful. March on!

Kathy Samuelson

April 14, 2016

I remember when Paul came to our rehearsal of the Buckeye Gray Band at Ohio State back in the 60s. He rehearsed us on Sousa's Manhattan Beach, describing the parade and the ocean waves. He made such an impression on me. I still hear all that Paul described each time I hear or play Manhattan Beach. I was so glad later to meet Paul in the late 80s when we both played in the Westerville Concert Band.....told him that I still remembered that visit to our band more than 20 years earlier. I will miss him as a friend and as a musician.

Sam Kegley

April 13, 2016

Paul Bierley was a friend of the Portsmouth

Columbus Breakfast Group and visited with us several times. I first remember Paul from Portsmouth's Manley Church Softball Team. He was a powerful left-handed pitcher. In the early seventies he played with me on the Westerville Legion Softball team in Columbus' over sixty league. We remained friends and exchanged books each of us had written. Jeanie and I saw Paul and Jean at many Westerville restaurants. He was a solid Portsmouth/Westerville citizen whom we loved. The Marine Band had Paul lead the mf for a memorial Day service years ago. Paul was extraordinary!

George Foreman

April 11, 2016

What a great man. One of a kind.

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