Raymond C. "Ray" Wifler, 83, passed into eternal life on May 2, 2020. The youngest child of five to Raymond E. and Kathryn (Glynn) Wifler, he was born in Plymouth Wisconsin on February 18, 1937. Ray graduated with a bachelor's degree from UW-Oshkosh. He attended Michigan State University earning both his master's degree and PhD. In 1967 he met his loving wife Carla Bietz. They were married in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin on January 25th, 1969 at St. Patrick's Church. Together, they had a full life of music, family and travel.
Ray's family was precious to him. He instilled an enduring love of learning in his children. He taught them to appreciate all forms of the arts, to play one or more musical instruments and expanded their horizons by taking them on trips around the state, the country and overseas. Ray cherished his relationships with his daughter-in-law and two sons-in-law. He also dearly loved being with his six grandchildren. He was deeply proud of their accomplishments and always supported them by attending their concerts, musicals and sporting events. To his siblings' families, Ray was known as "the fun uncle" and loved to visit his extended family and stay connected with them throughout his life.
As a lifelong educator, Ray's career spanned 43 years. He began teaching in 1958 at Lomira Public Schools and later Juneau Public Schools followed by a position at UW-Fond du Lac. From 1984 to 2003, he settled in as Professor of Music and Department Chair at Marian University. During his years there, he also taught a semester at Harlaxton College in England. He especially enjoyed teaching Music History and Jazz History, mentoring those studying music education and inspiring many others to newly appreciate classical and jazz music.
He was the founder and co-director of the Buttermilk Festival, Music Director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band for 42 years, Charter President and Board Member of the FDL Arts Council, founder of the FDL Oratorio Chorus in 1971 (now South Shore Chorale), and choir director at St. Patrick's Church for 33 years. He was a frequent clinician and guest conductor for many Wisconsin school bands and organized many local and area music events. Performing on clarinet, saxophone and trumpet was, of course, one of his true passions. Ray started the Ray Wifler Orchestra at the age of 16, then performed in many other groups including Hi Five (in college days), The Sun Rays, the New Century Dance Orchestra, Doc and the Jazz Box, and the Disciples of Dixieland.
He was a member of the American Bandmasters Association, the Wisconsin Bandmasters Association and many other music related organizations both national and international. He was honored and humbled to receive many awards including a FDL Exchange Club Golden Deeds Award, a Windy Award from the Windhover Center for the Arts (now Thelma), a WMEA Community Service Award and was also named a Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow. Finally, Ray's family was extremely proud to witness the naming of the Wifler Performance Center at Buttermilk Creek Park in his honor.
Ray will be missed tremendously by his family and friends. Survivors include his wife, Carla; three children, Erin (Xavier) Meilhon of Fond du Lac, Matthew (Angela) Wifler of St. Charles, IL, and Erika (Michael) Gergits of Neenah; six grandchildren, Emeric, Quentin and Sebastien Meilhon, and Benjamin, Ellinore and Amelia Wifler; sister, Janice Welytok of Shawnee, KS; his mother-in-law, Paula Beitz of Brownsville; brothers-in-law, Todd Beitz of Fond du Lac and August Luedtke of Lomira; four sisters-in-law, Andrea Luedtke and Gwen Almond, both of Lomira, Jean Steiner of Plymouth, and Gloria Wifler of Scottsdale, AZ. Ray is further survived by ten nephews, William Wifler, Peter Wifler, Tim Wifler, Kent Stuiber, Mark Stuiber, Paul Wifler, James Wifler, John Wifler, Jon Luedtke, and Robert Frank; and six nieces, Cathy Marsh, Elizabeth Studer, Ann Warner, Marianne Chisam, Katy Konovalske, and Kristen Westphal.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Kelly Wifler; two brothers, Wallace Wifler and John "Jack" Wifler; sister, Roselle Stuiber; father-in-law, Lester Beitz; four brothers-in-law, Walter Welytok, Jerry Almond, Sylvester Stuiber, and Eldon Conyne; three nephews, Terry Stuiber, Chad Stuiber, and Charles Wifler; and a niece, Kalen Luedtke.
Memorials may be sent in his name to the following; Fond du Lac Symphonic Band, music ministry of Holy Family Catholic Community, THELMA Sadoff Center for the Arts, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation and the Music Department of Marian University.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at a later date. Cremation has taken place.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Agnesian Healthcare Hospice Hope and also Harbor Haven Health and Rehabilitation Center for their kindness and care.
Additional information can be found at ueckerwitt.com
To plant a tree in memory of Raymond C. "Ray" Wifler, visit the Tribute Store.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'A REAL VISIONARY': FOND DU LAC COMMUNITY, MUSICIANS REMEMBER MAESTRO RAY WIFLER
Daphne Lemke, Fond du Lac Reporter Published 9:19 a.m. CT May 7, 2020 | Updated 10:03 a.m. CT May 7, 2020
FOND DU LAC - Raymond C. Wifler is remembered as a prominent figure in Fond du Lac's music community.
The longtime director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band died May 2. He served as director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band from 1974 to 2016, the longest of any of his predecessors, but his imprint on Fond du Lac and its music tradition went much deeper.
Even before his tenure as band director, he was a music professor at University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, and also founded South Shore Chorale, Fond du Lac's volunteer chorus ensemble, accord
Wifler revolutionized Fond du Lac's musical culture and earned awards like the Exchange Club's Golden Deeds Award and was named the Fond du Lac Rotary Club's Paul Harris Fellow in 2001.
"Ray's creativity extended to the broader community as well," said Mary Arthur, public relations director for the band. "From the Madrigal Dinners at the UW-Fond du Lac campus, to helping organize the Fond du Lac Jazz Festival and Fond du Lac Arts Council, to the Marian College Sabre Show, and the list goes on."
Arthur also fondly remembers the band's achievements outside of Fond du Lac, including performing throughout the state, at World's Fairs in Tennessee and New Orleans, and even internationally in Canada and Ireland.
"He had an uncanny ability to start with next to nothing and turn it into something wonderful; meeting challenges with fresh, bold ideas was a trademark of his career," she said.
SHAPING A FOND DU LAC MUSIC TRADITION
Fond du Lac's community band got its start as the Fond du Lac Military Band in 1898, according to the band's history, written by Arthur.
However, contrary to its name, it was not affiliated with the military. At the time, the title of "Military Band" went to bands that included woodwind instruments like flutes or clarinets, as opposed to strictly brass bands of trumpets, trombones and tubas, Arthur wrote.
For many years, the band was a group of semi-professional musicians performing summer concerts in Lakeside Park and at hired venues.
Membership waned by 1973, but the musicians were insistent on keeping the band alive. Eyes turned to Wifler, not quite knowing at the time just how beneficial his leadership would be.
Ray Wifler In taking the helm, he accepted the challenge of making some changes to keep the band on its feet.
One of those changes included opening membership to include University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac and other area college students, providing opportunities for his current and former students, as well as other budding musicians. To this day, membership includes a range of students to retirees in a variety of careers — not just music.
Wifler also expanded the program to the rest of the year, coinciding with the academic year while also keeping the "core" semi-professional summer season intact.
In the start of 1974, Wifler sent out word of these changes, as well as a change in name to "Fond du Lac Community Band" to avoid any confusion with its previous name including "military," given that the '70s were tumultuous in that regard.
After word got out, participation more than doubled.
Wifler's debut concert was March 31, 1974, drawing in the band's largest audience yet.
Future concerts eventually found a rhythm, with fall performances in St. Paul's Cathedral featuring classical music and lighter "Pops" concerts in the spring.
In 1989, the band adopted its present name, the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band.
FROM A VICTORIAN BANDSTAND TO THE BUTTERMILK FESTIVAL
Ray Wifler created the annual summer-long Buttermilk Festival at the Wifler Performance Center in Buttermilk Creek Park.
Amid riding the success of the semester concerts, reorganization continued in terms of business and gaining traction in the still-limping summer season, which tended to conflict with other local season activities and tourism.
Wifler moved performances from Sunday Lakeside Park concerts to Wednesday Taylor Park concerts, followed closely by the addition of ice cream concessions.
It worked — almost a little too well.
By the late part of the '70s, the audience and the band had grown exponentially, bursting Taylor Park and its bandstand at the seams. A change of venue was in order, and Wifler led the summer band around Fond du Lac's parks for the next few seasons.
Buttermilk Creek Park won out in 1985, even before the performance center was built. It was large and open, and the hill provided a natural amphitheater for the audience.
Wifler designed the Buttermilk Performance Center a few years later, working beside Arthur to raise funds for it to be built and provide a permanent summer home for the band and other local performances.
This also heralded the origin of the annual summer Buttermilk Festival, including not just the band, but also the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Kids From Wisconsin's annual concert.
Following Wifler's retirement in 2016, the center was renamed the "Raymond C. Wifler Performing Center" in his honor.
"Everything that happens there will be part of his legacy," said long-time member John Ahlstrom.
Dale Shipe, associate conductor for the band and retired band teacher of Fond du Lac High School, was chosen to succeed Wifler and carry the torch as director in 2016.
"Ray was a real visionary," he said, recalling everything Wifler had done for the music and arts scene in Fond du Lac, turning the Symphonic Band and other aspects into what audiences know and love today. "It was a little intimidating, quite frankly, to follow a legend like that."
But he hopes to honor Wifler and keep the legacy going.
For the band's full history, visit fdlsymphonicband.com/band-history.
THE BAND REMEMBERS WIFLER'S LEGACY
Members of the band and the community took the news of Wifler's passing with heavy hearts, remembering him fondly as both a mentor and a pioneer in Fond du Lac's music community.
For instance, Arthur was not just the band's manager and historian, but also a close friend for the 40-plus years she had been with him in the ensemble.
"Ray and I were blessed that our goals and ambitions for the band were compatible, and we had complementary skill sets to cover both the musical and business aspects of running a band," she said. "I can truly say that our many years of working together remain one of the great satisfactions of my life, and more than that, I deeply cherish the memory of a good and loyal friend."
Many of the other long-time members of the band were students of his from University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, working with him from practically the beginnings of their careers.
Joan Perry was one of his students who joined when Wifler opened participation to college students.
"Being a student at the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac and only having a small group of musicians to perform with, it was exciting to have an adult organization to be a part of," Perry said.
She knew firsthand his expectations as director, which was for the band and individual players to be their best. He had faith in her and the other members, which helped the band grow exponentially.
"There have been some amazing sounds that Ray was able to bring out of this group of musicians," Perry continued.
Heidi Zabel met Wifler at her freshman orientation not long after, and he eventually became the inspiration for her to choose music as a major rather than just a fine arts credit. She remembers him for caring for his students and taking their success personally, which is why he pushed so hard for them to do their best.
She even remembers her favorite quote from him: "One day when I was practicing a solo for a recital, I would react when I hit a wrong note or counted something wrong and then I couldn't get back on track. Ray stopped me, looked at me, and said sternly, 'There are no mistakes in a performance!' Meaning, of course, don't let your mistakes throw you — just keep going. Valuable life lesson."
Wifler was also known to welcome non-local musicians to the Fond du Lac music family with open arms.
"There's not much of music in this city that doesn't have Ray's fingerprints on it," said Ahlstrom, who moved to Fond du Lac in 1981 and quickly came to know Wifler through both band and choir.
"Working with him in both those settings, it would have been impossible not to learn an awful lot about making music — and also about how to teach music," Ahlstrom said. "In my present position, where I conduct both a band and a chorus, I'm often amazed at how often I hear Ray's words coming out of my mouth."
John Hall also took notes on Wifler's conducting and direction to use in his own teaching, furthering his legacy into yet another generation of musicians.
"Twice, Ray worked with my high school bands," he said. "They always played better after he had them for a rehearsal!"
Wifler's successor, Shipe, is another member who came to the band later in his career, but he and Wifler became instant colleagues and friends, which led to further connections in the city's music scene, something for which he has been grateful.
"Ray was an important person in my life after I moved to Fond du Lac," he said. "I'd love for him to be remembered for all the great things he did here."
Ray's family was precious to him. He instilled an enduring love of learning in his children. He taught them to appreciate all forms of the arts, to play one or more musical instruments and expanded their horizons by taking them on trips around the state, the country and overseas. Ray cherished his relationships with his daughter-in-law and two sons-in-law. He also dearly loved being with his six grandchildren. He was deeply proud of their accomplishments and always supported them by attending their concerts, musicals and sporting events. To his siblings' families, Ray was known as "the fun uncle" and loved to visit his extended family and stay connected with them throughout his life.
As a lifelong educator, Ray's career spanned 43 years. He began teaching in 1958 at Lomira Public Schools and later Juneau Public Schools followed by a position at UW-Fond du Lac. From 1984 to 2003, he settled in as Professor of Music and Department Chair at Marian University. During his years there, he also taught a semester at Harlaxton College in England. He especially enjoyed teaching Music History and Jazz History, mentoring those studying music education and inspiring many others to newly appreciate classical and jazz music.
He was the founder and co-director of the Buttermilk Festival, Music Director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band for 42 years, Charter President and Board Member of the FDL Arts Council, founder of the FDL Oratorio Chorus in 1971 (now South Shore Chorale), and choir director at St. Patrick's Church for 33 years. He was a frequent clinician and guest conductor for many Wisconsin school bands and organized many local and area music events. Performing on clarinet, saxophone and trumpet was, of course, one of his true passions. Ray started the Ray Wifler Orchestra at the age of 16, then performed in many other groups including Hi Five (in college days), The Sun Rays, the New Century Dance Orchestra, Doc and the Jazz Box, and the Disciples of Dixieland.
He was a member of the American Bandmasters Association, the Wisconsin Bandmasters Association and many other music related organizations both national and international. He was honored and humbled to receive many awards including a FDL Exchange Club Golden Deeds Award, a Windy Award from the Windhover Center for the Arts (now Thelma), a WMEA Community Service Award and was also named a Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow. Finally, Ray's family was extremely proud to witness the naming of the Wifler Performance Center at Buttermilk Creek Park in his honor.
Ray will be missed tremendously by his family and friends. Survivors include his wife, Carla; three children, Erin (Xavier) Meilhon of Fond du Lac, Matthew (Angela) Wifler of St. Charles, IL, and Erika (Michael) Gergits of Neenah; six grandchildren, Emeric, Quentin and Sebastien Meilhon, and Benjamin, Ellinore and Amelia Wifler; sister, Janice Welytok of Shawnee, KS; his mother-in-law, Paula Beitz of Brownsville; brothers-in-law, Todd Beitz of Fond du Lac and August Luedtke of Lomira; four sisters-in-law, Andrea Luedtke and Gwen Almond, both of Lomira, Jean Steiner of Plymouth, and Gloria Wifler of Scottsdale, AZ. Ray is further survived by ten nephews, William Wifler, Peter Wifler, Tim Wifler, Kent Stuiber, Mark Stuiber, Paul Wifler, James Wifler, John Wifler, Jon Luedtke, and Robert Frank; and six nieces, Cathy Marsh, Elizabeth Studer, Ann Warner, Marianne Chisam, Katy Konovalske, and Kristen Westphal.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Kelly Wifler; two brothers, Wallace Wifler and John "Jack" Wifler; sister, Roselle Stuiber; father-in-law, Lester Beitz; four brothers-in-law, Walter Welytok, Jerry Almond, Sylvester Stuiber, and Eldon Conyne; three nephews, Terry Stuiber, Chad Stuiber, and Charles Wifler; and a niece, Kalen Luedtke.
Memorials may be sent in his name to the following; Fond du Lac Symphonic Band, music ministry of Holy Family Catholic Community, THELMA Sadoff Center for the Arts, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation and the Music Department of Marian University.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at a later date. Cremation has taken place.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Agnesian Healthcare Hospice Hope and also Harbor Haven Health and Rehabilitation Center for their kindness and care.
Additional information can be found at ueckerwitt.com
To plant a tree in memory of Raymond C. "Ray" Wifler, visit the Tribute Store.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'A REAL VISIONARY': FOND DU LAC COMMUNITY, MUSICIANS REMEMBER MAESTRO RAY WIFLER
Daphne Lemke, Fond du Lac Reporter Published 9:19 a.m. CT May 7, 2020 | Updated 10:03 a.m. CT May 7, 2020
FOND DU LAC - Raymond C. Wifler is remembered as a prominent figure in Fond du Lac's music community.
The longtime director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band died May 2. He served as director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band from 1974 to 2016, the longest of any of his predecessors, but his imprint on Fond du Lac and its music tradition went much deeper.
Even before his tenure as band director, he was a music professor at University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, and also founded South Shore Chorale, Fond du Lac's volunteer chorus ensemble, accord
Wifler revolutionized Fond du Lac's musical culture and earned awards like the Exchange Club's Golden Deeds Award and was named the Fond du Lac Rotary Club's Paul Harris Fellow in 2001.
"Ray's creativity extended to the broader community as well," said Mary Arthur, public relations director for the band. "From the Madrigal Dinners at the UW-Fond du Lac campus, to helping organize the Fond du Lac Jazz Festival and Fond du Lac Arts Council, to the Marian College Sabre Show, and the list goes on."
Arthur also fondly remembers the band's achievements outside of Fond du Lac, including performing throughout the state, at World's Fairs in Tennessee and New Orleans, and even internationally in Canada and Ireland.
"He had an uncanny ability to start with next to nothing and turn it into something wonderful; meeting challenges with fresh, bold ideas was a trademark of his career," she said.
SHAPING A FOND DU LAC MUSIC TRADITION
Fond du Lac's community band got its start as the Fond du Lac Military Band in 1898, according to the band's history, written by Arthur.
However, contrary to its name, it was not affiliated with the military. At the time, the title of "Military Band" went to bands that included woodwind instruments like flutes or clarinets, as opposed to strictly brass bands of trumpets, trombones and tubas, Arthur wrote.
For many years, the band was a group of semi-professional musicians performing summer concerts in Lakeside Park and at hired venues.
Membership waned by 1973, but the musicians were insistent on keeping the band alive. Eyes turned to Wifler, not quite knowing at the time just how beneficial his leadership would be.
Ray Wifler In taking the helm, he accepted the challenge of making some changes to keep the band on its feet.
One of those changes included opening membership to include University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac and other area college students, providing opportunities for his current and former students, as well as other budding musicians. To this day, membership includes a range of students to retirees in a variety of careers — not just music.
Wifler also expanded the program to the rest of the year, coinciding with the academic year while also keeping the "core" semi-professional summer season intact.
In the start of 1974, Wifler sent out word of these changes, as well as a change in name to "Fond du Lac Community Band" to avoid any confusion with its previous name including "military," given that the '70s were tumultuous in that regard.
After word got out, participation more than doubled.
Wifler's debut concert was March 31, 1974, drawing in the band's largest audience yet.
Future concerts eventually found a rhythm, with fall performances in St. Paul's Cathedral featuring classical music and lighter "Pops" concerts in the spring.
In 1989, the band adopted its present name, the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band.
FROM A VICTORIAN BANDSTAND TO THE BUTTERMILK FESTIVAL
Ray Wifler created the annual summer-long Buttermilk Festival at the Wifler Performance Center in Buttermilk Creek Park.
Amid riding the success of the semester concerts, reorganization continued in terms of business and gaining traction in the still-limping summer season, which tended to conflict with other local season activities and tourism.
Wifler moved performances from Sunday Lakeside Park concerts to Wednesday Taylor Park concerts, followed closely by the addition of ice cream concessions.
It worked — almost a little too well.
By the late part of the '70s, the audience and the band had grown exponentially, bursting Taylor Park and its bandstand at the seams. A change of venue was in order, and Wifler led the summer band around Fond du Lac's parks for the next few seasons.
Buttermilk Creek Park won out in 1985, even before the performance center was built. It was large and open, and the hill provided a natural amphitheater for the audience.
Wifler designed the Buttermilk Performance Center a few years later, working beside Arthur to raise funds for it to be built and provide a permanent summer home for the band and other local performances.
This also heralded the origin of the annual summer Buttermilk Festival, including not just the band, but also the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Kids From Wisconsin's annual concert.
Following Wifler's retirement in 2016, the center was renamed the "Raymond C. Wifler Performing Center" in his honor.
"Everything that happens there will be part of his legacy," said long-time member John Ahlstrom.
Dale Shipe, associate conductor for the band and retired band teacher of Fond du Lac High School, was chosen to succeed Wifler and carry the torch as director in 2016.
"Ray was a real visionary," he said, recalling everything Wifler had done for the music and arts scene in Fond du Lac, turning the Symphonic Band and other aspects into what audiences know and love today. "It was a little intimidating, quite frankly, to follow a legend like that."
But he hopes to honor Wifler and keep the legacy going.
For the band's full history, visit fdlsymphonicband.com/band-history.
THE BAND REMEMBERS WIFLER'S LEGACY
Members of the band and the community took the news of Wifler's passing with heavy hearts, remembering him fondly as both a mentor and a pioneer in Fond du Lac's music community.
For instance, Arthur was not just the band's manager and historian, but also a close friend for the 40-plus years she had been with him in the ensemble.
"Ray and I were blessed that our goals and ambitions for the band were compatible, and we had complementary skill sets to cover both the musical and business aspects of running a band," she said. "I can truly say that our many years of working together remain one of the great satisfactions of my life, and more than that, I deeply cherish the memory of a good and loyal friend."
Many of the other long-time members of the band were students of his from University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, working with him from practically the beginnings of their careers.
Joan Perry was one of his students who joined when Wifler opened participation to college students.
"Being a student at the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac and only having a small group of musicians to perform with, it was exciting to have an adult organization to be a part of," Perry said.
She knew firsthand his expectations as director, which was for the band and individual players to be their best. He had faith in her and the other members, which helped the band grow exponentially.
"There have been some amazing sounds that Ray was able to bring out of this group of musicians," Perry continued.
Heidi Zabel met Wifler at her freshman orientation not long after, and he eventually became the inspiration for her to choose music as a major rather than just a fine arts credit. She remembers him for caring for his students and taking their success personally, which is why he pushed so hard for them to do their best.
She even remembers her favorite quote from him: "One day when I was practicing a solo for a recital, I would react when I hit a wrong note or counted something wrong and then I couldn't get back on track. Ray stopped me, looked at me, and said sternly, 'There are no mistakes in a performance!' Meaning, of course, don't let your mistakes throw you — just keep going. Valuable life lesson."
Wifler was also known to welcome non-local musicians to the Fond du Lac music family with open arms.
"There's not much of music in this city that doesn't have Ray's fingerprints on it," said Ahlstrom, who moved to Fond du Lac in 1981 and quickly came to know Wifler through both band and choir.
"Working with him in both those settings, it would have been impossible not to learn an awful lot about making music — and also about how to teach music," Ahlstrom said. "In my present position, where I conduct both a band and a chorus, I'm often amazed at how often I hear Ray's words coming out of my mouth."
John Hall also took notes on Wifler's conducting and direction to use in his own teaching, furthering his legacy into yet another generation of musicians.
"Twice, Ray worked with my high school bands," he said. "They always played better after he had them for a rehearsal!"
Wifler's successor, Shipe, is another member who came to the band later in his career, but he and Wifler became instant colleagues and friends, which led to further connections in the city's music scene, something for which he has been grateful.
"Ray was an important person in my life after I moved to Fond du Lac," he said. "I'd love for him to be remembered for all the great things he did here."
Raymond C. "Ray" Wifler, 83, passed into eternal life on May 2, 2020. The youngest child of five to Raymond E. and Kathryn (Glynn) Wifler, he was born in Plymouth Wisconsin on February 18, 1937. Ray graduated with a bachelor's degree from UW-Oshkosh. He attended Michigan State University earning both his master's degree and PhD. In 1967 he met his loving wife Carla Bietz. They were married in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin on January 25th, 1969 at St. Patrick's Church. Together, they had a full life of music, family and travel.
Ray's family was precious to him. He instilled an enduring love of learning in his children. He taught them to appreciate all forms of the arts, to play one or more musical instruments and expanded their horizons by taking them on trips around the state, the country and overseas. Ray cherished his relationships with his daughter-in-law and two sons-in-law. He also dearly loved being with his six grandchildren. He was deeply proud of their accomplishments and always supported them by attending their concerts, musicals and sporting events. To his siblings' families, Ray was known as "the fun uncle" and loved to visit his extended family and stay connected with them throughout his life.
As a lifelong educator, Ray's career spanned 43 years. He began teaching in 1958 at Lomira Public Schools and later Juneau Public Schools followed by a position at UW-Fond du Lac. From 1984 to 2003, he settled in as Professor of Music and Department Chair at Marian University. During his years there, he also taught a semester at Harlaxton College in England. He especially enjoyed teaching Music History and Jazz History, mentoring those studying music education and inspiring many others to newly appreciate classical and jazz music.
He was the founder and co-director of the Buttermilk Festival, Music Director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band for 42 years, Charter President and Board Member of the FDL Arts Council, founder of the FDL Oratorio Chorus in 1971 (now South Shore Chorale), and choir director at St. Patrick's Church for 33 years. He was a frequent clinician and guest conductor for many Wisconsin school bands and organized many local and area music events. Performing on clarinet, saxophone and trumpet was, of course, one of his true passions. Ray started the Ray Wifler Orchestra at the age of 16, then performed in many other groups including Hi Five (in college days), The Sun Rays, the New Century Dance Orchestra, Doc and the Jazz Box, and the Disciples of Dixieland.
He was a member of the American Bandmasters Association, the Wisconsin Bandmasters Association and many other music related organizations both national and international. He was honored and humbled to receive many awards including a FDL Exchange Club Golden Deeds Award, a Windy Award from the Windhover Center for the Arts (now Thelma), a WMEA Community Service Award and was also named a Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow. Finally, Ray's family was extremely proud to witness the naming of the Wifler Performance Center at Buttermilk Creek Park in his honor.
Ray will be missed tremendously by his family and friends. Survivors include his wife, Carla; three children, Erin (Xavier) Meilhon of Fond du Lac, Matthew (Angela) Wifler of St. Charles, IL, and Erika (Michael) Gergits of Neenah; six grandchildren, Emeric, Quentin and Sebastien Meilhon, and Benjamin, Ellinore and Amelia Wifler; sister, Janice Welytok of Shawnee, KS; his mother-in-law, Paula Beitz of Brownsville; brothers-in-law, Todd Beitz of Fond du Lac and August Luedtke of Lomira; four sisters-in-law, Andrea Luedtke and Gwen Almond, both of Lomira, Jean Steiner of Plymouth, and Gloria Wifler of Scottsdale, AZ. Ray is further survived by ten nephews, William Wifler, Peter Wifler, Tim Wifler, Kent Stuiber, Mark Stuiber, Paul Wifler, James Wifler, John Wifler, Jon Luedtke, and Robert Frank; and six nieces, Cathy Marsh, Elizabeth Studer, Ann Warner, Marianne Chisam, Katy Konovalske, and Kristen Westphal.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Kelly Wifler; two brothers, Wallace Wifler and John "Jack" Wifler; sister, Roselle Stuiber; father-in-law, Lester Beitz; four brothers-in-law, Walter Welytok, Jerry Almond, Sylvester Stuiber, and Eldon Conyne; three nephews, Terry Stuiber, Chad Stuiber, and Charles Wifler; and a niece, Kalen Luedtke.
Memorials may be sent in his name to the following; Fond du Lac Symphonic Band, music ministry of Holy Family Catholic Community, THELMA Sadoff Center for the Arts, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation and the Music Department of Marian University.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at a later date. Cremation has taken place.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Agnesian Healthcare Hospice Hope and also Harbor Haven Health and Rehabilitation Center for their kindness and care.
Additional information can be found at ueckerwitt.com
To plant a tree in memory of Raymond C. "Ray" Wifler, visit the Tribute Store.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'A REAL VISIONARY': FOND DU LAC COMMUNITY, MUSICIANS REMEMBER MAESTRO RAY WIFLER
Daphne Lemke, Fond du Lac Reporter Published 9:19 a.m. CT May 7, 2020 | Updated 10:03 a.m. CT May 7, 2020
FOND DU LAC - Raymond C. Wifler is remembered as a prominent figure in Fond du Lac's music community.
The longtime director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band died May 2. He served as director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band from 1974 to 2016, the longest of any of his predecessors, but his imprint on Fond du Lac and its music tradition went much deeper.
Even before his tenure as band director, he was a music professor at University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, and also founded South Shore Chorale, Fond du Lac's volunteer chorus ensemble, accord
Wifler revolutionized Fond du Lac's musical culture and earned awards like the Exchange Club's Golden Deeds Award and was named the Fond du Lac Rotary Club's Paul Harris Fellow in 2001.
"Ray's creativity extended to the broader community as well," said Mary Arthur, public relations director for the band. "From the Madrigal Dinners at the UW-Fond du Lac campus, to helping organize the Fond du Lac Jazz Festival and Fond du Lac Arts Council, to the Marian College Sabre Show, and the list goes on."
Arthur also fondly remembers the band's achievements outside of Fond du Lac, including performing throughout the state, at World's Fairs in Tennessee and New Orleans, and even internationally in Canada and Ireland.
"He had an uncanny ability to start with next to nothing and turn it into something wonderful; meeting challenges with fresh, bold ideas was a trademark of his career," she said.
SHAPING A FOND DU LAC MUSIC TRADITION
Fond du Lac's community band got its start as the Fond du Lac Military Band in 1898, according to the band's history, written by Arthur.
However, contrary to its name, it was not affiliated with the military. At the time, the title of "Military Band" went to bands that included woodwind instruments like flutes or clarinets, as opposed to strictly brass bands of trumpets, trombones and tubas, Arthur wrote.
For many years, the band was a group of semi-professional musicians performing summer concerts in Lakeside Park and at hired venues.
Membership waned by 1973, but the musicians were insistent on keeping the band alive. Eyes turned to Wifler, not quite knowing at the time just how beneficial his leadership would be.
Ray Wifler In taking the helm, he accepted the challenge of making some changes to keep the band on its feet.
One of those changes included opening membership to include University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac and other area college students, providing opportunities for his current and former students, as well as other budding musicians. To this day, membership includes a range of students to retirees in a variety of careers — not just music.
Wifler also expanded the program to the rest of the year, coinciding with the academic year while also keeping the "core" semi-professional summer season intact.
In the start of 1974, Wifler sent out word of these changes, as well as a change in name to "Fond du Lac Community Band" to avoid any confusion with its previous name including "military," given that the '70s were tumultuous in that regard.
After word got out, participation more than doubled.
Wifler's debut concert was March 31, 1974, drawing in the band's largest audience yet.
Future concerts eventually found a rhythm, with fall performances in St. Paul's Cathedral featuring classical music and lighter "Pops" concerts in the spring.
In 1989, the band adopted its present name, the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band.
FROM A VICTORIAN BANDSTAND TO THE BUTTERMILK FESTIVAL
Ray Wifler created the annual summer-long Buttermilk Festival at the Wifler Performance Center in Buttermilk Creek Park.
Amid riding the success of the semester concerts, reorganization continued in terms of business and gaining traction in the still-limping summer season, which tended to conflict with other local season activities and tourism.
Wifler moved performances from Sunday Lakeside Park concerts to Wednesday Taylor Park concerts, followed closely by the addition of ice cream concessions.
It worked — almost a little too well.
By the late part of the '70s, the audience and the band had grown exponentially, bursting Taylor Park and its bandstand at the seams. A change of venue was in order, and Wifler led the summer band around Fond du Lac's parks for the next few seasons.
Buttermilk Creek Park won out in 1985, even before the performance center was built. It was large and open, and the hill provided a natural amphitheater for the audience.
Wifler designed the Buttermilk Performance Center a few years later, working beside Arthur to raise funds for it to be built and provide a permanent summer home for the band and other local performances.
This also heralded the origin of the annual summer Buttermilk Festival, including not just the band, but also the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Kids From Wisconsin's annual concert.
Following Wifler's retirement in 2016, the center was renamed the "Raymond C. Wifler Performing Center" in his honor.
"Everything that happens there will be part of his legacy," said long-time member John Ahlstrom.
Dale Shipe, associate conductor for the band and retired band teacher of Fond du Lac High School, was chosen to succeed Wifler and carry the torch as director in 2016.
"Ray was a real visionary," he said, recalling everything Wifler had done for the music and arts scene in Fond du Lac, turning the Symphonic Band and other aspects into what audiences know and love today. "It was a little intimidating, quite frankly, to follow a legend like that."
But he hopes to honor Wifler and keep the legacy going.
For the band's full history, visit fdlsymphonicband.com/band-history.
THE BAND REMEMBERS WIFLER'S LEGACY
Members of the band and the community took the news of Wifler's passing with heavy hearts, remembering him fondly as both a mentor and a pioneer in Fond du Lac's music community.
For instance, Arthur was not just the band's manager and historian, but also a close friend for the 40-plus years she had been with him in the ensemble.
"Ray and I were blessed that our goals and ambitions for the band were compatible, and we had complementary skill sets to cover both the musical and business aspects of running a band," she said. "I can truly say that our many years of working together remain one of the great satisfactions of my life, and more than that, I deeply cherish the memory of a good and loyal friend."
Many of the other long-time members of the band were students of his from University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, working with him from practically the beginnings of their careers.
Joan Perry was one of his students who joined when Wifler opened participation to college students.
"Being a student at the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac and only having a small group of musicians to perform with, it was exciting to have an adult organization to be a part of," Perry said.
She knew firsthand his expectations as director, which was for the band and individual players to be their best. He had faith in her and the other members, which helped the band grow exponentially.
"There have been some amazing sounds that Ray was able to bring out of this group of musicians," Perry continued.
Heidi Zabel met Wifler at her freshman orientation not long after, and he eventually became the inspiration for her to choose music as a major rather than just a fine arts credit. She remembers him for caring for his students and taking their success personally, which is why he pushed so hard for them to do their best.
She even remembers her favorite quote from him: "One day when I was practicing a solo for a recital, I would react when I hit a wrong note or counted something wrong and then I couldn't get back on track. Ray stopped me, looked at me, and said sternly, 'There are no mistakes in a performance!' Meaning, of course, don't let your mistakes throw you — just keep going. Valuable life lesson."
Wifler was also known to welcome non-local musicians to the Fond du Lac music family with open arms.
"There's not much of music in this city that doesn't have Ray's fingerprints on it," said Ahlstrom, who moved to Fond du Lac in 1981 and quickly came to know Wifler through both band and choir.
"Working with him in both those settings, it would have been impossible not to learn an awful lot about making music — and also about how to teach music," Ahlstrom said. "In my present position, where I conduct both a band and a chorus, I'm often amazed at how often I hear Ray's words coming out of my mouth."
John Hall also took notes on Wifler's conducting and direction to use in his own teaching, furthering his legacy into yet another generation of musicians.
"Twice, Ray worked with my high school bands," he said. "They always played better after he had them for a rehearsal!"
Wifler's successor, Shipe, is another member who came to the band later in his career, but he and Wifler became instant colleagues and friends, which led to further connections in the city's music scene, something for which he has been grateful.
"Ray was an important person in my life after I moved to Fond du Lac," he said. "I'd love for him to be remembered for all the great things he did here."
Ray's family was precious to him. He instilled an enduring love of learning in his children. He taught them to appreciate all forms of the arts, to play one or more musical instruments and expanded their horizons by taking them on trips around the state, the country and overseas. Ray cherished his relationships with his daughter-in-law and two sons-in-law. He also dearly loved being with his six grandchildren. He was deeply proud of their accomplishments and always supported them by attending their concerts, musicals and sporting events. To his siblings' families, Ray was known as "the fun uncle" and loved to visit his extended family and stay connected with them throughout his life.
As a lifelong educator, Ray's career spanned 43 years. He began teaching in 1958 at Lomira Public Schools and later Juneau Public Schools followed by a position at UW-Fond du Lac. From 1984 to 2003, he settled in as Professor of Music and Department Chair at Marian University. During his years there, he also taught a semester at Harlaxton College in England. He especially enjoyed teaching Music History and Jazz History, mentoring those studying music education and inspiring many others to newly appreciate classical and jazz music.
He was the founder and co-director of the Buttermilk Festival, Music Director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band for 42 years, Charter President and Board Member of the FDL Arts Council, founder of the FDL Oratorio Chorus in 1971 (now South Shore Chorale), and choir director at St. Patrick's Church for 33 years. He was a frequent clinician and guest conductor for many Wisconsin school bands and organized many local and area music events. Performing on clarinet, saxophone and trumpet was, of course, one of his true passions. Ray started the Ray Wifler Orchestra at the age of 16, then performed in many other groups including Hi Five (in college days), The Sun Rays, the New Century Dance Orchestra, Doc and the Jazz Box, and the Disciples of Dixieland.
He was a member of the American Bandmasters Association, the Wisconsin Bandmasters Association and many other music related organizations both national and international. He was honored and humbled to receive many awards including a FDL Exchange Club Golden Deeds Award, a Windy Award from the Windhover Center for the Arts (now Thelma), a WMEA Community Service Award and was also named a Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow. Finally, Ray's family was extremely proud to witness the naming of the Wifler Performance Center at Buttermilk Creek Park in his honor.
Ray will be missed tremendously by his family and friends. Survivors include his wife, Carla; three children, Erin (Xavier) Meilhon of Fond du Lac, Matthew (Angela) Wifler of St. Charles, IL, and Erika (Michael) Gergits of Neenah; six grandchildren, Emeric, Quentin and Sebastien Meilhon, and Benjamin, Ellinore and Amelia Wifler; sister, Janice Welytok of Shawnee, KS; his mother-in-law, Paula Beitz of Brownsville; brothers-in-law, Todd Beitz of Fond du Lac and August Luedtke of Lomira; four sisters-in-law, Andrea Luedtke and Gwen Almond, both of Lomira, Jean Steiner of Plymouth, and Gloria Wifler of Scottsdale, AZ. Ray is further survived by ten nephews, William Wifler, Peter Wifler, Tim Wifler, Kent Stuiber, Mark Stuiber, Paul Wifler, James Wifler, John Wifler, Jon Luedtke, and Robert Frank; and six nieces, Cathy Marsh, Elizabeth Studer, Ann Warner, Marianne Chisam, Katy Konovalske, and Kristen Westphal.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Kelly Wifler; two brothers, Wallace Wifler and John "Jack" Wifler; sister, Roselle Stuiber; father-in-law, Lester Beitz; four brothers-in-law, Walter Welytok, Jerry Almond, Sylvester Stuiber, and Eldon Conyne; three nephews, Terry Stuiber, Chad Stuiber, and Charles Wifler; and a niece, Kalen Luedtke.
Memorials may be sent in his name to the following; Fond du Lac Symphonic Band, music ministry of Holy Family Catholic Community, THELMA Sadoff Center for the Arts, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation and the Music Department of Marian University.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at a later date. Cremation has taken place.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Agnesian Healthcare Hospice Hope and also Harbor Haven Health and Rehabilitation Center for their kindness and care.
Additional information can be found at ueckerwitt.com
To plant a tree in memory of Raymond C. "Ray" Wifler, visit the Tribute Store.
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'A REAL VISIONARY': FOND DU LAC COMMUNITY, MUSICIANS REMEMBER MAESTRO RAY WIFLER
Daphne Lemke, Fond du Lac Reporter Published 9:19 a.m. CT May 7, 2020 | Updated 10:03 a.m. CT May 7, 2020
FOND DU LAC - Raymond C. Wifler is remembered as a prominent figure in Fond du Lac's music community.
The longtime director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band died May 2. He served as director of the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band from 1974 to 2016, the longest of any of his predecessors, but his imprint on Fond du Lac and its music tradition went much deeper.
Even before his tenure as band director, he was a music professor at University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, and also founded South Shore Chorale, Fond du Lac's volunteer chorus ensemble, accord
Wifler revolutionized Fond du Lac's musical culture and earned awards like the Exchange Club's Golden Deeds Award and was named the Fond du Lac Rotary Club's Paul Harris Fellow in 2001.
"Ray's creativity extended to the broader community as well," said Mary Arthur, public relations director for the band. "From the Madrigal Dinners at the UW-Fond du Lac campus, to helping organize the Fond du Lac Jazz Festival and Fond du Lac Arts Council, to the Marian College Sabre Show, and the list goes on."
Arthur also fondly remembers the band's achievements outside of Fond du Lac, including performing throughout the state, at World's Fairs in Tennessee and New Orleans, and even internationally in Canada and Ireland.
"He had an uncanny ability to start with next to nothing and turn it into something wonderful; meeting challenges with fresh, bold ideas was a trademark of his career," she said.
SHAPING A FOND DU LAC MUSIC TRADITION
Fond du Lac's community band got its start as the Fond du Lac Military Band in 1898, according to the band's history, written by Arthur.
However, contrary to its name, it was not affiliated with the military. At the time, the title of "Military Band" went to bands that included woodwind instruments like flutes or clarinets, as opposed to strictly brass bands of trumpets, trombones and tubas, Arthur wrote.
For many years, the band was a group of semi-professional musicians performing summer concerts in Lakeside Park and at hired venues.
Membership waned by 1973, but the musicians were insistent on keeping the band alive. Eyes turned to Wifler, not quite knowing at the time just how beneficial his leadership would be.
Ray Wifler In taking the helm, he accepted the challenge of making some changes to keep the band on its feet.
One of those changes included opening membership to include University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac and other area college students, providing opportunities for his current and former students, as well as other budding musicians. To this day, membership includes a range of students to retirees in a variety of careers — not just music.
Wifler also expanded the program to the rest of the year, coinciding with the academic year while also keeping the "core" semi-professional summer season intact.
In the start of 1974, Wifler sent out word of these changes, as well as a change in name to "Fond du Lac Community Band" to avoid any confusion with its previous name including "military," given that the '70s were tumultuous in that regard.
After word got out, participation more than doubled.
Wifler's debut concert was March 31, 1974, drawing in the band's largest audience yet.
Future concerts eventually found a rhythm, with fall performances in St. Paul's Cathedral featuring classical music and lighter "Pops" concerts in the spring.
In 1989, the band adopted its present name, the Fond du Lac Symphonic Band.
FROM A VICTORIAN BANDSTAND TO THE BUTTERMILK FESTIVAL
Ray Wifler created the annual summer-long Buttermilk Festival at the Wifler Performance Center in Buttermilk Creek Park.
Amid riding the success of the semester concerts, reorganization continued in terms of business and gaining traction in the still-limping summer season, which tended to conflict with other local season activities and tourism.
Wifler moved performances from Sunday Lakeside Park concerts to Wednesday Taylor Park concerts, followed closely by the addition of ice cream concessions.
It worked — almost a little too well.
By the late part of the '70s, the audience and the band had grown exponentially, bursting Taylor Park and its bandstand at the seams. A change of venue was in order, and Wifler led the summer band around Fond du Lac's parks for the next few seasons.
Buttermilk Creek Park won out in 1985, even before the performance center was built. It was large and open, and the hill provided a natural amphitheater for the audience.
Wifler designed the Buttermilk Performance Center a few years later, working beside Arthur to raise funds for it to be built and provide a permanent summer home for the band and other local performances.
This also heralded the origin of the annual summer Buttermilk Festival, including not just the band, but also the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Kids From Wisconsin's annual concert.
Following Wifler's retirement in 2016, the center was renamed the "Raymond C. Wifler Performing Center" in his honor.
"Everything that happens there will be part of his legacy," said long-time member John Ahlstrom.
Dale Shipe, associate conductor for the band and retired band teacher of Fond du Lac High School, was chosen to succeed Wifler and carry the torch as director in 2016.
"Ray was a real visionary," he said, recalling everything Wifler had done for the music and arts scene in Fond du Lac, turning the Symphonic Band and other aspects into what audiences know and love today. "It was a little intimidating, quite frankly, to follow a legend like that."
But he hopes to honor Wifler and keep the legacy going.
For the band's full history, visit fdlsymphonicband.com/band-history.
THE BAND REMEMBERS WIFLER'S LEGACY
Members of the band and the community took the news of Wifler's passing with heavy hearts, remembering him fondly as both a mentor and a pioneer in Fond du Lac's music community.
For instance, Arthur was not just the band's manager and historian, but also a close friend for the 40-plus years she had been with him in the ensemble.
"Ray and I were blessed that our goals and ambitions for the band were compatible, and we had complementary skill sets to cover both the musical and business aspects of running a band," she said. "I can truly say that our many years of working together remain one of the great satisfactions of my life, and more than that, I deeply cherish the memory of a good and loyal friend."
Many of the other long-time members of the band were students of his from University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, working with him from practically the beginnings of their careers.
Joan Perry was one of his students who joined when Wifler opened participation to college students.
"Being a student at the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac and only having a small group of musicians to perform with, it was exciting to have an adult organization to be a part of," Perry said.
She knew firsthand his expectations as director, which was for the band and individual players to be their best. He had faith in her and the other members, which helped the band grow exponentially.
"There have been some amazing sounds that Ray was able to bring out of this group of musicians," Perry continued.
Heidi Zabel met Wifler at her freshman orientation not long after, and he eventually became the inspiration for her to choose music as a major rather than just a fine arts credit. She remembers him for caring for his students and taking their success personally, which is why he pushed so hard for them to do their best.
She even remembers her favorite quote from him: "One day when I was practicing a solo for a recital, I would react when I hit a wrong note or counted something wrong and then I couldn't get back on track. Ray stopped me, looked at me, and said sternly, 'There are no mistakes in a performance!' Meaning, of course, don't let your mistakes throw you — just keep going. Valuable life lesson."
Wifler was also known to welcome non-local musicians to the Fond du Lac music family with open arms.
"There's not much of music in this city that doesn't have Ray's fingerprints on it," said Ahlstrom, who moved to Fond du Lac in 1981 and quickly came to know Wifler through both band and choir.
"Working with him in both those settings, it would have been impossible not to learn an awful lot about making music — and also about how to teach music," Ahlstrom said. "In my present position, where I conduct both a band and a chorus, I'm often amazed at how often I hear Ray's words coming out of my mouth."
John Hall also took notes on Wifler's conducting and direction to use in his own teaching, furthering his legacy into yet another generation of musicians.
"Twice, Ray worked with my high school bands," he said. "They always played better after he had them for a rehearsal!"
Wifler's successor, Shipe, is another member who came to the band later in his career, but he and Wifler became instant colleagues and friends, which led to further connections in the city's music scene, something for which he has been grateful.
"Ray was an important person in my life after I moved to Fond du Lac," he said. "I'd love for him to be remembered for all the great things he did here."
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