Marice Wilbur Stith

Ithaca, NY- Marice Wilbur Stith, 89, died October 7, 2015 at the Cayuga Medical Center following a lengthy illness. He leaves his wife of 68 years, Shirlee (Longwell) Stith; his four children Gary, Thomas, Susan (Yaeger) and Kathie (Bennett) and their spouses; 12 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren and many close friends. Born and raised in Johnstown, Ohio, the third son of Leo Arthur and Blanche Della Stith, he was a longtime resident of Ithaca. With degrees in music education from Capital University and The Ohio State University along with advanced post graduate work at the Eastman School of Music, he began his career as a high school band director in Baltimore and Lancaster, Ohio before joining the music faculty at Syracuse University in 1954 at age 28. Serving there from 1954 - 61, he taught trumpet, conducted the Men's Glee Club and created the "One Hundred Men and a Girl" Syracuse University Marching Band leading them in appearances at various nationally televised college football championship games including the Cotton Bowl, the Oyster Bowl and the Orange Bowl.

He was a charter member of the trumpet section in the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and Brass Quintet when founded in 1962, taught instrumental music in the Diocese of Syracuse, and also played in the pit orchestras for the Ice Follies, Ice Capades, Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, and the Roy Rogers Rodeo. As a show musician, Mr. Stith played for such celebrities as Sammy Davis, Jr., Liberace, Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Xavier Cugat, Abbe Lane, Tony Martin, Jerry Vale, Teresa Brewer, Roberta Sherwood, Dorothy Collins, The McGuire Sisters, Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, Chubby Checker, Eartha Kitt, Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, Marie McDonald, Betty Hutton, Bobby Rydell, Della Reese, Nelson Eddy, Johnny Puleo, Johnny Mathis, The Vagabonds, Connie Francis, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Anita Bryant, Victor Borge, Al Hirt, Peter Nero, and Sergio Franchi.

From 1964 - 66, he served as the first coordinator of music for the West Genesee Central Schools in Camillus, NY helping to establish that public school music program as one of the finest in the state.

From 1966-1989, Professor Stith served as music faculty member at Cornell University where he conducted the wind ensemble and symphonic band, directed the Big Red Marching Band, and taught brass and electronic music. During his 23 years at Cornell, he was the featured performer on a series of solo trumpet recordings of standard literature issued on both the Golden Crest and Redwood Records labels, and performed with the Ithaca Opera and the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Pulitzer Prize winning composer/conductor, Karel Husa. Over the course of his entire career, he commissioned and/or premiered approximately 200 works for wind ensemble, men's glee club, choir and trumpet.

Under the baton of Professor Stith, the Cornell University Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band produced a record series consisting of 41 LP records. The records were listed in the Schwann Record and Tape Guide and were sold worldwide. Among the works premiered by the Cornell University Wind Ensemble were pieces by David Cope, Thomas Duffy, Frank Erickson, Robert Palmer, George Green, Noel Lee, Charles Hockett, Anthony Iannaccone, Nicholas Flagello, Stuart Raleigh, Alfred Reed, Jack Gallagher, Brian Israel and Pulitzer Prize winning composers Steven Stucky, Christopher Rouse and Karel Husa along with a long list of original compositions by Cornell graduate student composers who are now teaching at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Though not a composer, Mr. Stith penned a transcription for wind band entitled Three Dance Episodes from "On The Town" by Leonard Bernstein, which was published by Warner Brothers and is still performed by concert bands and wind ensembles around the country today.

Professor Stith's final concert with the Cornell University Wind Ensemble was performed at Carnegie Hall on May 24, 1989.

In addition to his playing, conducting and teaching career, he was a man of great Christian faith and served as Minister of Music for many years at the University United Methodist Church in Syracuse, and later at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Ithaca. In his later years, he was also a regular attender at the First Congregational Church of Ithaca.

While still living and working in Syracuse, he also founded Marice Stith Recording Services, a successful business that is now in its 50th year. It
afforded him the opportunity to serve as recording engineer for various colleges and universities including Cornell, Ithaca College, and Hartwick College and the privilege of being the master engineer for recordings produced by and released on such labels as Nonesuch, Golden Crest, Mark Recordings and the Organ Historical Society. He also served as a frequent recording engineer for LIVE shows performed by nationally known drum and bugle corps.

Upon retirement, he played trumpet in the Ithaca Concert Band, the Syracuse Brass Ensemble, the Virginia Grand Military Band and served as conductor and music director of the Skaneateles Community Band. His favorite leisure activities included swimming, water skiing, and fishing near the humble cottage he built on Otisco Lake south of Syracuse, as well as traveling with his wife, Shirlee, and spending time with his family and friends.

In addition to the lasting impact he made on students throughout his life both musically and personally, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was known for his ever-present smile and hearty laughter, his genuine kindness towards others, his charming sense of humor and the constant support and encouragement extended to his students, colleagues, friends and family.

A memorial service will be celebrated on Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 402 N. Aurora St., Ithaca. Private interment will be held in East Lawn Cemetery. There are no calling hours. Bangs Funeral Home is assisting the family.