Vernon H. Opheim Obituary (1931 - 2011)

Vernon Holman Opheim, age 79, died on 10/25/2011. Vernon was born 12/29/1931 to Mattie and Ingvald Opheim in Sedalia, Alberta, Canada. He moved to Minnesota in 1950 to pursue an education in music. After an accident injured his hand, he changed his focus from piano performance to choral music. He graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and taught in the high school for 1 year in Princeton, MN and for 11 years in Moorhead. He obtained his Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Illinois, and then taught choral music and conducting first at the University of Maine, then for 20 years at the University of Minnesota Duluth, regularly taking choirs on international tours. He established a madrigal dinner tradition at UMD. He was active in ACDA and MMEA. He retired from teaching in 1992 and established a business organizing international tours for other choirs. He retired to Tucson in 2001. He married the patient and loving Avis Walwick in 1955. They have 3 daughters, Kathryn Opheim (Terry Feenstra), Sioux City, IA; Mayme Barber (Tom), Eveleth, MN; and Kara Nevin (Dave), Rio Rancho, NM. Grandchildren are Abbey, Meredith and Annie Feenstra, Breanna and Neil Barber, and Romee and Kelsey Nevin. The family will hold a memorial service at Dove of Peace Lutheran Church, 665 W. Roller Coaster Road, at 11:00 AM on Friday, October 28, 2011. October 28, 2011 Dear Dad, We know you are now directing the "Celestial Singers" in heaven, surrounded with angelic voices who are always in perfect harmony, and never miss a cue. You have taught us, all, how to love and appreciate great music. And in an age before "boomboxes", would rattle the walls of our home with classical music pulsating through your enormous stereo speakers. Being a classically-trained musician, we kids appreciated that you even brought home music like The Beatles, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". That does not mean that we didn't occasionally doze off during the endless amount of concerts that we were "highly encouraged" to attend with you. We thank you for opening our worlds to the Joy of Music which has enriched our lives. Your heritage lives on in our continuous sharing of our gifts of music in our lives and passing this on to your grandchildren. We saw how many lives you had touched as you taught music in high school, college and at church. You were a source of inspiration to so many. Your love of teaching continued into your retirement as you fervently led a men's bible study. Your faith overflowed onto all around you in an infectious way. You questioned, challenged, debated and listened in your limitless desire to learn and grow on your faith journey. We admired your perpetual quest, yet sometimes tired of your "penchant for preaching". You were so lucky to have met that li'l Norwegian Saint that you married. We know how much you appreciated everything Mom ever did for you with her infinite patience, undying love and amazing ability to "bite her tongue" a trait that she did not pass on to her daughters. In this age of divorce and failed marriages, having 3 daughters with long-lasting marriages is a testimony to the example of love and friendship that you and Mom have shared in your 56 years together. We all know that your life wasn't easy. We know that you battled your demons, which spilled into all of our lives. But, your life quest in search of God and happiness is now complete, because we know you have now found both. We love you, Dad. Your Daughters