Kathleen Armstrong Thomerson

Kathleen Armstrong Thomerson died April 7, 2025 in Austin Texas at age 91. Born February 18, 1934 in Jackson, TN she grew up in West Texas graduating from Alpine High School in 1952. She was a music pupil of Jay Everett Hilty at the University of Colorado for a year then enrolled in the University of Texas receiving both a Bachelors and Masters of Music, with Performance Award Diploma, under the direction of the Dean of the College of Fine Arts, E. William Doty. She studied organ in Europe at the Flemish Royal Conservatory in Antwerp with Flor Peeters; at the University of Salamanca summer organ course with Guy Bovey and Montserrat Torrent, and privately in Paris with organist and composer Jean Langlais

Kathleen performed throughout the United States and Europe as a recitalist including Paisley Abby, Scotland; Coventry Cathedral, England; Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris; the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs; St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue and Trinity Church Wall Street both in New York City.

She served as organist and director of music at University United Methodist Church in St. Louis for over twenty years and was a member of the faculty of both the St. Louis Conservatory and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She held the certificates of Fellow and Choirmaster from the American Guild of Organist and served as director of the committee on professional certifications.

As a published author and composer, her hymn "I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light" and hymn tune "Houston" are included in hymnals of most denominations in this country and abroad. Her numerous compositions have been published and recorded, as well as her book, "Jean Langlais: A Bio-Bibliography".

Kathleen married Jaime Edward Thomerson in Austin at St. David's Episcopal Church on June 1, 1957. After 34 years in Illinois, they retired to Austin in 1999 where she became the Director of Music for Mt. Olive Lutheran Church. Kathleen and "Jim Ed" celebrated 57 years together until his death in 2014. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Noble and Marylou Armstrong, her eldest son Austin, and her sister, Mildred Farra. She is survived by son Eric of Austin, TX, daughter Rachel Miller and husband Richard, of Arlington Heights, IL, grandson Mason Miller of Tempe, AZ, and brother, Boyd Armstrong, of Houston, TX.

A memorial service will be held, Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 11:00 AM at St. David's Episcopal Church, 3011 E. 8th St., Austin, TX. A private burial will be held at the Thomerson homestead outside Menard, TX at a later date.