Dr. Thora Asgeirson du Bois was born September 4, 1927, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in the Icelandic community there, where her parents had emigrated from Iceland with the first of 6 children. Thora's lifelong love and study of piano and music began at age 6. Thora’s early piano teachers were Snjolaug Sigurdson and later Eva Clare, founder of the University of Manitoba’s School of Music where Thora studied for three years. She received Associate and Licentiate Diplomas in Music at the University of Manitoba's School of Music, and a Licentiate from the British Royal Schools of Music.
On a community scholarship, Thora was able to study in Paris, France for two years with Mme. Alice Gaultier-Leon at the Ecole Normale de Musique. In Paris, she met and married her husband of 57 years, Californian Ron du Bois, a studio art student and ceramicist on the GI Bill. After several years teaching in Winnipeg, he was offered a position at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. By 1960, they made their final move to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where Thora taught private piano lessons and Ron had a teaching position in the Art Department at Oklahoma State University. Their family grew to include four sons, Paul, Marc, Jon, and Peter.
After completing her Bachelor of Music degree under Victor Wolfarm at OSU, Thora commuted to the University of Oklahoma in Norman to take the Master of Music Degree with Celia Mae Bryant. Later she entered the Doctoral program in 1980 studying with Dr. Digby Bell. During these years, Thora taught part time in the OSU Music Department becoming a permanent part time instructor in 1980. She also was very active as a recital collaborator with several faculty and students.
An active member of social, church, and civic groups, Thora supported and helped many people in our community and reached out to and welcomed international students and faculty. She initiated the local chapter of the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association in 1983 and co-founded the Stillwater Area Music Teachers Association.
Thora accompanied her husband Ron on three year-long Fulbright sabbatical trips abroad. Always an ambassador of good will representing America as she traveled throughout the world, she shared her talents, performing, teaching, accompanying singers and contributing to university music programs in South Korea, (1973-4), India (1979-80), and Nigeria (1987-80).
After retiring from OSU in 1996, Thora continued to teach private lessons, play for the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Stillwater, and perform. She played regularly at assisted living centers centers and, at Golden Oaks Village, played almost daily for her fellow residents.
Thora is survived by her husband, son Marc, adopted daughter Mita Young Butschek and her husband Christopher, granddaughter Kristy Gordon, and nieces Louise Torfason and Kristine Parr.
Interment will be 2 pm, Wednesday, January 22, at Green Haven Cemetery. A memorial service will be held on February 29 at 2:00 at Town and Gown. Memorial contributions may be given to the Ron and Thora du Bois Scholarship Fund through the OSU Foundation.
On a community scholarship, Thora was able to study in Paris, France for two years with Mme. Alice Gaultier-Leon at the Ecole Normale de Musique. In Paris, she met and married her husband of 57 years, Californian Ron du Bois, a studio art student and ceramicist on the GI Bill. After several years teaching in Winnipeg, he was offered a position at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. By 1960, they made their final move to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where Thora taught private piano lessons and Ron had a teaching position in the Art Department at Oklahoma State University. Their family grew to include four sons, Paul, Marc, Jon, and Peter.
After completing her Bachelor of Music degree under Victor Wolfarm at OSU, Thora commuted to the University of Oklahoma in Norman to take the Master of Music Degree with Celia Mae Bryant. Later she entered the Doctoral program in 1980 studying with Dr. Digby Bell. During these years, Thora taught part time in the OSU Music Department becoming a permanent part time instructor in 1980. She also was very active as a recital collaborator with several faculty and students.
An active member of social, church, and civic groups, Thora supported and helped many people in our community and reached out to and welcomed international students and faculty. She initiated the local chapter of the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association in 1983 and co-founded the Stillwater Area Music Teachers Association.
Thora accompanied her husband Ron on three year-long Fulbright sabbatical trips abroad. Always an ambassador of good will representing America as she traveled throughout the world, she shared her talents, performing, teaching, accompanying singers and contributing to university music programs in South Korea, (1973-4), India (1979-80), and Nigeria (1987-80).
After retiring from OSU in 1996, Thora continued to teach private lessons, play for the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Stillwater, and perform. She played regularly at assisted living centers centers and, at Golden Oaks Village, played almost daily for her fellow residents.
Thora is survived by her husband, son Marc, adopted daughter Mita Young Butschek and her husband Christopher, granddaughter Kristy Gordon, and nieces Louise Torfason and Kristine Parr.
Interment will be 2 pm, Wednesday, January 22, at Green Haven Cemetery. A memorial service will be held on February 29 at 2:00 at Town and Gown. Memorial contributions may be given to the Ron and Thora du Bois Scholarship Fund through the OSU Foundation.
Dr. Thora Asgeirson du Bois was born September 4, 1927, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in the Icelandic community there, where her parents had emigrated from Iceland with the first of 6 children. Thora's lifelong love and study of piano and music began at age 6. Thora’s early piano teachers were Snjolaug Sigurdson and later Eva Clare, founder of the University of Manitoba’s School of Music where Thora studied for three years. She received Associate and Licentiate Diplomas in Music at the University of Manitoba's School of Music, and a Licentiate from the British Royal Schools of Music.
On a community scholarship, Thora was able to study in Paris, France for two years with Mme. Alice Gaultier-Leon at the Ecole Normale de Musique. In Paris, she met and married her husband of 57 years, Californian Ron du Bois, a studio art student and ceramicist on the GI Bill. After several years teaching in Winnipeg, he was offered a position at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. By 1960, they made their final move to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where Thora taught private piano lessons and Ron had a teaching position in the Art Department at Oklahoma State University. Their family grew to include four sons, Paul, Marc, Jon, and Peter.
After completing her Bachelor of Music degree under Victor Wolfarm at OSU, Thora commuted to the University of Oklahoma in Norman to take the Master of Music Degree with Celia Mae Bryant. Later she entered the Doctoral program in 1980 studying with Dr. Digby Bell. During these years, Thora taught part time in the OSU Music Department becoming a permanent part time instructor in 1980. She also was very active as a recital collaborator with several faculty and students.
An active member of social, church, and civic groups, Thora supported and helped many people in our community and reached out to and welcomed international students and faculty. She initiated the local chapter of the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association in 1983 and co-founded the Stillwater Area Music Teachers Association.
Thora accompanied her husband Ron on three year-long Fulbright sabbatical trips abroad. Always an ambassador of good will representing America as she traveled throughout the world, she shared her talents, performing, teaching, accompanying singers and contributing to university music programs in South Korea, (1973-4), India (1979-80), and Nigeria (1987-80).
After retiring from OSU in 1996, Thora continued to teach private lessons, play for the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Stillwater, and perform. She played regularly at assisted living centers centers and, at Golden Oaks Village, played almost daily for her fellow residents.
Thora is survived by her husband, son Marc, adopted daughter Mita Young Butschek and her husband Christopher, granddaughter Kristy Gordon, and nieces Louise Torfason and Kristine Parr.
Interment will be 2 pm, Wednesday, January 22, at Green Haven Cemetery. A memorial service will be held on February 29 at 2:00 at Town and Gown. Memorial contributions may be given to the Ron and Thora du Bois Scholarship Fund through the OSU Foundation.
On a community scholarship, Thora was able to study in Paris, France for two years with Mme. Alice Gaultier-Leon at the Ecole Normale de Musique. In Paris, she met and married her husband of 57 years, Californian Ron du Bois, a studio art student and ceramicist on the GI Bill. After several years teaching in Winnipeg, he was offered a position at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. By 1960, they made their final move to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where Thora taught private piano lessons and Ron had a teaching position in the Art Department at Oklahoma State University. Their family grew to include four sons, Paul, Marc, Jon, and Peter.
After completing her Bachelor of Music degree under Victor Wolfarm at OSU, Thora commuted to the University of Oklahoma in Norman to take the Master of Music Degree with Celia Mae Bryant. Later she entered the Doctoral program in 1980 studying with Dr. Digby Bell. During these years, Thora taught part time in the OSU Music Department becoming a permanent part time instructor in 1980. She also was very active as a recital collaborator with several faculty and students.
An active member of social, church, and civic groups, Thora supported and helped many people in our community and reached out to and welcomed international students and faculty. She initiated the local chapter of the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association in 1983 and co-founded the Stillwater Area Music Teachers Association.
Thora accompanied her husband Ron on three year-long Fulbright sabbatical trips abroad. Always an ambassador of good will representing America as she traveled throughout the world, she shared her talents, performing, teaching, accompanying singers and contributing to university music programs in South Korea, (1973-4), India (1979-80), and Nigeria (1987-80).
After retiring from OSU in 1996, Thora continued to teach private lessons, play for the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Stillwater, and perform. She played regularly at assisted living centers centers and, at Golden Oaks Village, played almost daily for her fellow residents.
Thora is survived by her husband, son Marc, adopted daughter Mita Young Butschek and her husband Christopher, granddaughter Kristy Gordon, and nieces Louise Torfason and Kristine Parr.
Interment will be 2 pm, Wednesday, January 22, at Green Haven Cemetery. A memorial service will be held on February 29 at 2:00 at Town and Gown. Memorial contributions may be given to the Ron and Thora du Bois Scholarship Fund through the OSU Foundation.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
