Rupert Hohmann

Rupert Karl Hohmann, 90, died Monday (August 13, 2018) at the Kidron Bethel Village in North Newton.

He was born on February 21, 1928 in Newton, Ks., the son of Dr. Walter Hugo and Elsbeth Hedwig Roessler Hohmann. His father was Chairman of the Music Department at Bethel College. He was a pianist, organist, and choir director with an expertise in Theory. Dr. Hohmann also founded the Bethel College acapella choir. Rupert’s mother was a pianist.

Rupert attended schools in Newton including Newton High School is Freshman year. He transferred to Mennonite Bible Academy at Bethel College, graduating on May 17, 1946. Rupert attended Bethel College and graduated in 1949 in a B.A. in Music. After finishing Bethel, he was a student at the University of Wichita where he graduated with a Master of Music Degree in 1951. During these years, Rupert joined the Wichita Symphony Orchestra as a violinist. He was the first Newtonian to join this orchestra.

From 1953 until 1955, during the Korean War, Rupert spent two years doing I-W service at the Philadelphia State Mental Hospital. He worked in the Music Therapy Department.

Rupert did his doctorate work at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1959. His dissertation was “The Liturgical Music of the Old Order Amish Church.” He also did post-doctoral work at Yale University in 1965.

From 1963 until 1966, Rupert was Head of the Music Department and Conservatory at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. During this time, Elvera Voth invited Rupert to Anchorage, Alaska to play in a festival orchestra conducted by Robert Shaw for a week of concerts sponsored by the University of Alaska.

For the next 23 years, Rupert joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Clair Campus. From 1966 until 1989, he was conductor of the university orchestra and taught violin and graduate courses. He conducted the orchestra for the annual alternating opera or musical show productions.

In 1989, Rupert retired from the University of Wisconsin as Emeritus Professor of Music and returned to North Newton where he lived in his childhood home.

Rupert is preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Gertrude Elizabeth Dyck and Randalin A. Bargdill.

Survivors include his nieces and nephew Elsbeth Dyck Schafer and husband Todd of Topeka, Ks., Gary Bargdill and wife Mary Ann of Blue Rapids, Ks., Rebecca Bargdill Fortney and husband Phil, Deborah Bargdill Love and husband Rob all of Topeka; numerous great nieces and nephews and cousins.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Wednesday (August 22, 2018) at the Bethel College Mennonite Church. Private interment will be in the Greenwood Cemetery in Newton.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with Bethel College Mennonite Church and the Rupert Hohmann String Scholarship at Bethel College. Contributions may be sent to Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, 120 E. Broadway, Newton, Ks. 67114.

There will be no visitation or viewing.

“Give me an ‘A’"

Arrangements are by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, Newton.