Dr. George Eason, 87, of Amarillo died Monday, Jan. 7, 2013.
Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013 at 2 p.m. at Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Dr. Amarillo, Texas.
George Eason taught music and piano at West Texas State University from 1962 to 2002. A beloved and accomplished professor of music, he had the honor of being inducted as Professor Emeritus in 1992.
Born on July 12,1925, to George C. and Minta Freeman Eason in Barry, near Corsicana, Dr. Eason grew up on a cotton farm during the Great Depression. An only child, he lived with his mother and grandparents who nurtured his early musical abilities.
He studied music at North Texas State University in Denton, making lifelong friends and earning the admiration of colleagues and professors alike. He went on to earn a Doctorate of Music at the University of Colorado in Boulder in 1976. He made a living playing in jazz combos in Denver.
While living in Colorado, he met Ruth, his beloved wife of 47 years. She shared his love of music and nature, exploring the mountains of Colorado and Palo Duro Canyon with him. She warmly welcomed students into their home in Canyon at any time, but particularly at Christmas, when she and students would gather around the piano singing Dr. Eason's renowned rendition of “Chestnuts Roasting On an Open Fire.” The two were longtime members of First Presbyterian Church in Canyon where George served as a deacon.
They spent their retirement years in the Pacific Northwest, where Ruth was diagnosed and bravely faced Alzheimer's with Dr Eason by her side. Amazingly, the two played duets even at advanced stages of her illness. She passed away in 2006. George then returned to the Panhandle area , where he resided in a retirement cottage and inspired the friendships of many with his zany sense of humor and gentle disposition. He had continued to enjoy musical programs in the area and a newfound interest in llamas .
Best known as a challenging and compassionate teacher, Dr. Eason worked tirelessly on behalf of the Music Department pioneering innovative techniques in alleviation of performance anxiety, music therapy, jazz improvisation, piano pedagogy and other topics. He was a composer as well as a skilled pianist. His finest skills were bringing out the best in his students musically, emotionally, professionally, and spiritually. His generosity continues today through the Ruth and George Eason Presidential Honor Scholarship, which he founded in loving memory of his wife.
Survivors include his cousins, Marcia Lou Braly and her husband John Braly; Wade and Kristi Braly; and Glyn and Steve Phillips and children.
Any memorials should be made to the Ruth and George Eason Presidents Honor Scholarship in Music, West Texas A&M University, Box 60766 Canyon, Texas 79016.
Arrangements by Cox Funeral Home, Amarillo.
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