Obituary of Dr. Harold Gage Hawn, 86

Dr. Harold Gage Hawn — Music Professor and Minister of Music

Dr. Harold Hawn, 86, of Huntingdon, after a lengthy illness, went to be with his Lord and Saviour from the J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania on June 21, 2009.

Born January 8, 1923, in Huntingdon, he was the son of the late Chalmers B. and Mary B. Hawn.

He was united in marriage to Eleanore Demarest on August 24, 1941 at the bride's home in Huntingdon.

Dr. Hawn is survived by his wife, Eleanore, and one daughter, Lyndsey of Palm Bay, Florida.

One son, Clifford, and one sister-in-law, Dorothy, of Huntingdon, preceded him in death.

He is also survived by one sister, Joyce Parks, of Huntingdon, his sister-in-law, Jeannette Rumberger, of Huntingdon, daughter-in-law, Patricia, and grandson, Edwin, and granddaughter, Laura, of Norfolk, Virginia, and a number of nieces and nephews.

He graduated from Huntingdon High School in 1940, after which he served for four years in the U.S. Air Corps as an aerial gunner instructor. After his military service, he received the B.M. and M.M. Degrees from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He served as music instructor at Fredonia State Teachers College in New York, before becoming Director of Music at the Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York.

In January 1942, he volunteered to serve in the U. S. Air Corps. He attained the rank of Sergeant and taught gunnery for 3 1/2 years in Idaho and Texas.

In 1953, he joined the faculty at The College of William and Mary in Norfolk, Virginia. This college later became Old Dominion University, where for 36 years, he taught voice, opera, chorus, television, music education, producing 70 operas and 2000 television programs. He received the D.Mus. Degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana in 1966. During this time, he also served as Minister of Music, Choirmaster, and Soloist for four churches in Norfolk, Virginia.

After his retirement in 1989, he and his wife, Eleanore, joined the Mission Service Corps Volunteers for the Southern Baptist Church and were assigned to the Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania/South Jersey as Music Missionaries. For 15 years they assisted churches throughout the convention by teaching music workshops, conferences, clinics and establishing new choirs, conducting the Male Chorale and the Conemaugh Valley Association Chorus. He also taught choruses and voice classes at the Baptist Conference Centers at Ridgecrest. North Carolina and Glorietta, New Mexico.

He was an Honorary Life member of the National Opera Association (serving 22 years as Treasurer) and Southern Baptist Conference. Also Lt. Govenor for the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Phi Mu Alpha, M.E.N.C. and National Opera for Youth (7 years as Treasurer). Publications include: "Choir Singing for the Layman" (1990); Video Tape and Textbook "I've Always Wanted to Sing"(1997); published by the Church Street Press (Lifeway), Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Hawn has donated his extensive music library to Juniata College, The Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania/South Jersey and Emmanuel Baptist Church of Tyrone, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Hawn was an active elder and Minister of Music at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Tyrone, where he enjoyed serving the Lord. He was an avid baseball player and enjoyed hunting, cooking and singing in the Choral Union at Juniata College.

There will be no viewing of the body. Internment and graveside service at the pleasure of the family will be held at the Centre County Memorial Park in State College, Pennsylvania, with Pastor Jack Wiley, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Tyrone, officiating. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Emmanuel Baptist Church, 9 West 10th Street, Tyrone, Pennsylvania 16686.

A guest book can be signed or condolences sent to the family at www.heintzelmanfuneralhome.com