Karen Lynn Thornton Biscay

1947 - 2019

Karen Lynn Thornton Biscay

Small but Fierce

Karen Lynn Thornton Biscay joined the soprano section of the heavenly chorus on Thursday, November 28 after one day at the Hospice of Northwest Ohio. Karen was born to Isaac Bruce Thornton and Evelyn Durham Thornton in Toledo, Ohio on February 15, 1947. She graduated from Sylvania High School (now Northview.) At Sylvania H.S. she sang under the direction of Louis Davis and played violin in the orchestra under the baton of Charles Gorsuch, often as Concertmistress. She attended Bowling Green State University on a violin Scholarship, graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree. She then taught music for a brief time in the Sylvania Elementary schools. She returned to BGSU to study Music History, with an emphasis on Early Music performance and a third time to get a Master of Music in Choral Conducting.

In 1984 Dr. Rosa Lewis, a friend and mentor, invited Karen to start a choir program at Lourdes College. Karen organized and directed the Franciscan Singers, a women's chorus. When Lourdes began admitting male students, she added a mixed choir, the Lourdes College Chorus, which became the Lourdes University Chorus after the school gained university status. The Chorus collaborated with many Toledo area music groups, producing concerts with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, the Maumee Community Band, The David Carter Symphonic Choir, the Clarence Smith Community Chorus, the Tower Brass Quintet, and many others. A small group of singers started hanging around after Chorus, working to improve their sound and technique. This group became Good Company, an independent ensemble that performed with the Chorus as well as taking outside gigs. Good Company continued rehearsing and performing throughout Karen's retirement.

Karen led the Lourdes University Chorus in a tour of England and Hungary in 2001, singing at Winchester Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, and St. Etheldreda's Catholic Church in the City of London. In Hungary they performed at the Folk Arts Association, the Great Synagogue - both in Szeged, (Toledo's Sister City) and in St. Anna's Catholic Church in Budapest. In 2004 she led a special Summer Choir in a choral tour of Stratford Ontario and Woodstock Ontario (Sylvania's Sister City.)

During her 36 years at Lourdes she created and taught courses in Music Appreciation, Voice, American Music History, the Broadway Musical Theater, and many others. She bcame Chair of the Music Department and attained the rank of Associate Professor. Upon her retirement she was granted Emerita status.

Karen's clear, lyric soprano voice was often heard in area concerts and churches, as was her Frank Topolewski violin. She was a founding member of Musica Antiqua de Toledo, and Cameraderie, an Early Music instrumental ensemble. She was a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, the professional music fraternity; the American Choral Director's Association and the Ohio Choral Director's Association; the Euterpean Club; and the Monday Musicale.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents, Evelyn and Bruce Thornton. Her sister and brother-in –law, Charliann and Stanley Nowak, and her grandmother, Caroline Durham. Karen is survived by her husband of 48 years, Michael Biscay, her niece, Susan Nowak, and a myriad of students who treasure the love of music she imparted to them.

There will be a Celebration of Life on December 28 at 1:00 PM at St Lucas Lutheran Church, 745 Walbridge Ave, Toledo, Oh 43609. Former Chorus members, Good Company members, colleagues and friends are invited to join the St. Lucas choir to sing Karen's chosen anthems. Contact Michael Biscay at mbiscay@hotmail.com or 419-244-2243 for details. Memorial gifts may be directed to the Karen T. Biscay Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o St Lucas Lutheran Church, 745 Walbridge Avenue, Toledo, OH 43609.