Paul A. Montemurro
1933-2012
Paul A. Montemurro, 79, St. Joseph, Missouri died Thursday, July 5, 2012 at his home.
He was born April 20, 1933 to Frank and Mildred (Panico) Montemurro in Chicago, Illinois.
He married Margaret Dickover on March 9, 1985 in Oklahoma.
Mr. Montemurro was an accomplished trumpet, flugelhorn and piccolo trumpet soloist, he holds 42 years of experience in band direction, music education and church music work. Mr. Montemurro has previously served as Instrumental Coordinator, Director of Bands at Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. He served as Director of Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Ensembles at Oklahoma State University, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He served as director of bands at Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri, and has directed instrumental groups at public schools in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. Mr. Montemurro was director of Marching band, Jazz band and concert band in Perry, Oklahoma for one year, followed by two years in Scotland County Schools, in Memphis, Missouri. Mr. Montemurro was a band director at Benton High School in St. Joseph, Missouri for ten years and directed bands at Gallup High School and J.F.K. Middle School for three years in Gallup, New Mexico.
Mr. Montemurro was a lecturer and demonstrator of Ancient Brass Instruments such as the Fanfare Trumpet, The Clarion and other valveless instruments. He presented a paper on this topic at the 1979 conference of the American Bandmasters Association in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
In 1971 Mr. Montemurro was named to Outstanding Educators of America. Three years later he received a Citation of Excellence from the National Bandmasters of America. He was named the National Association of Jazz Educators Outstanding Jazz Educator in the Oklahoma Unit, in 1987.
Mr. Montemurro earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Swinney Conservatory of Music at Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri. While pushing his Masters of Arts Degree, he was employed as the Graduate Assistant at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. Additional performing experience was gained as a bandsman with the 5th and 371st Army bands and as a professional trumpeter with the CBS Studio in Chicago, Illinois.
His professional affiliations include Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, National Patrons of Phi Beta Mu, College Band Director’s Association, Music Educators National Conference and American Bandmaster’s Association. He was a member of two honorary band societies, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. He is also a member and has served as President of the Oklahoma Unit of the National Association of Jazz Educators.
Mr. Montemurro has been adjudicator and Clinician for college, high school and junior high bands in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
He was a member of Copeland Baptist Church.
He was loved and respected by his fellow colleagues and students. He will always be lovingly known as “Prof” and “Mr. M” by grateful students from throughout his career.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors: his wife, Margaret Montemurro, of the home; five children, Pamela (Chris) Reding, Stillwater, Oklahoma, Paula (Darin) Lindon, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Millicent Montemurro, St. Joseph, Missouri; Frank (Ashley) Montemurro, St. Joseph, Missouri, Megan Montemurro, St. Joseph, Missouri; four grandchildren, Garett Reding, Sebastian Lindon, Zacchaeus Lindon and Paul Anthony Montemurro; and sister, Antoinette (Leroy) Castelvecchi, Dundee, Illinois.
Services: 1:00 P.M. Monday, Wyatt Park Christian Church. Interment 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, Leavenworth National Cemetery. The Family will receive friends 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Sunday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory, where friends may call after 5:00 P.M. Sunday. The Family suggests memorial gifts to the Paul A. Montemurro Music Scholarship at Central Methodist College or at Oklahoma State University.
Privlidged to be in Prof’s Oklahoma State family. An amazing trumpet player, director, and friend. He will never be forgotten!
May treasured memories of your dear loved one be close in mind and fondle your heart as each day passes.
Psalms 46:1 — God is for us a refuge and strength. A help that is readily to be found during distresses.
We are so sorry for your loss.
Paul was a dear friend to our whole
family during his years teaching at
FHS and CMU. He and my husband,Ed, spent
many fun times and we all will never
forget him. A great person has passed
and will be leading the band in heaven;
never to be forgotten by those whose
lives he touched,and who heard him play!
I had the honor of playing and working for Prof at Northern Oklahoma College from 1986-1988. I remember how much he was absolutely in love with Marge and hoped someday I would be as lucky. I will always hold him dear to my heart. My prayers are with your family. You willed be missed dearly.
Jennifer Crumrine aka “Dummy”
I will listen to “Here’s That Rainy Day” then “Canzon Septimi Toni No. 2″. I will listen because I want to honor Prof with music!! He taught and gave us so much.
Paul and his family are special, long time friends. Peace and l
ove to all of you. No time to rest now, Paul. You have another band to lead in Heaven.
I was a twirler in the Oklahoma State band in 1980. Prof was a great mentor and one of a kind. He will be missed!
Paul and I shared friendship at CMC together, and then we did our master’s work together at MU. We played a lot of concerts together, and he played with me for my BA, and MA trumpet recitals. He will be missed.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Montemurro family. Prof. was a wonderful mentor to all of us. His passion for music will continue to live on in his students.
I knew Paul during my first few years of teaching band with Bill Rotter in Perry!! He was an energetic and very motivating teacher, and was a definite influence on me as a rookie band director. Thanks, Paul, for your never ending contributions to music education! You have been a mentor and teacher to so many and will be greatly missed.
it is really sad to see the one man who had so much fire and passion for music and who had a passion to teach children, and to teach us to see the possibilities inside each of us, no longer be with us. i hadn’t seen or spoken to Mr. M in 17 years, but not one single day has gone by where i haven’t thought of him and smiled. He gave me a gift of knowledge that i can never repay. i only hope that he knew that deep down inside that i was so thankful, and honored to be taught by this talented, one of a kind man. i will always be in his debt.
Goodbye my friend. Your mentoring to me was life changing. I will always be thankful that you shared your joy of making music with me. Your motivation was inspirational for all who came in contact with you…our memory of you will continue to have a lasting influence on our lives…
Our hearts are both sad for the great loss of an amazing man but happy that he has been made healthy and whole again. We have so many memories of Prof from our OSU days: those looks of humor when he turned the score pages and found surprises waiting for him, hanging out in his office and listening to his stories, watching him roll his eyes and cross his arms as he imparted his next ‘words of encouragement’ and the list goes on. We loved Prof and we knew that he loved us. Bill still has the official OSU letter sweater that Prof gave him and I can still him calling me Miss Missouri.
We will always remember listening to his latest arrangements that he had written and performed for his church in St. Joe. He had Frank play the CD for us and we could tell which part he was playing. There was such joy in his music and it spoke from his soul.
Until we meet again, dear Prof, we have the memories you gave us —treasures of life.
Bill and Nancy Hall
Learning how to rehearse the band was a great lesson every day in rehearsal. His sharing the great music,La Gaza Ladra, Lincolonshire,et.al. and of course Barnum, that is where we really lived.
Thanks so much Prof. for the music, inspiration and encouragement. Once,Always,Long Live, Herman,
CMC ’74
Thanks Mr. M for creating in me a love for music! I still tap my foot to the beats of songs that will stay with me forever. It was a privilege to know you and glad to have spent six wonderful years with you! Every time I hear a trumpet playing I will always think of you! Thanks for making music influence my life the way it does!
Mr. M you will be missed by many! You were a great band instructor you had taught me much and it was a great pleasure to be one of your students for 6 years! My prayers go out to your family during this time. Thanks for always being there for me in school!
BHS ’97
First I send my sincere sympathy to the family in their loss. But oh my what Heaven is getting!!!! Paul will be leading the music and singing and playing is trumpet!! What a great musician and just a very great guy!! When I first saw him with Benton’s band walking it the SouthSide parade, he was yelling out orders, but then he dismissed them with “God Bless Ya” and big smile!! What a teddy bear. What a great choir director and a good Christian man! I love him dearly and can’t wait to sing with him again!!
Pam, Chris and Garrett,
My thoughts are with you and your family and pray that today will be a celebration of the life you all knew and loved. Praise God he is at home and at peace with the Lord.
I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR OF PAUL’S PASSING. WE PLAYED MUSIC TOGETHER IN KEOKUK, IOWA AND MEMPHIS, MISSOURI. HE WAS A FINE MUSICIAN AND A GREAT GUY TO BE WITH. ALTHOUGH HE HAS BEEN AWAY FROM THIS AREA FOR SOME TIME, HE WILL
BE MISSED. PLEASE ACCEPT MY CONDOLENCE
TO PAUL’S WIFE AND FAMILY.
Dear Montemurro Family,
May the warmth of God’s love embrace you,
May the compassion of those who care surround you, and
May the joy you once shared brighten your days with the assurance that love lives forever.
Paul was a dear friend and trumpet playing colleague. I enjoyed working with him at Phillips University Band Camps.
Badda Bing Badda Boom!
It was great to have Paul on our NWMSU Summer Music Camp Staff. He was always ready to share his time and talents with
kids. They loved and respected him!
And his jazz bands always played well!
Paul was very instrumental in getting the NW MMEA District Jazz Band going.
Thanks!
My sincere sympathies to Margaret and family. Paul contributed to so many
and he will be missed.
Let your strong faith carry you this difficult time.
Al Sergel III
NWMSU Director of Bands Emeritus 1981-2004
I never met Mr. Montemurro…but I was so impressed when my friend, Frank Phelps on Versailles, MO, shared Mr. Montemurro’s biography with me today. I only wish that I could have heard his stories about the people, events and travels in his fascinating life. Fortunate are his friends and acquaintances who caught this angel unawares. His legacy continues as folks such as I learn about his altruistic life helping so many others and making the world a better place. My sincere condolences to his family and countless friends.
The Tom Price family is so sorry for your loss. Mr. Montemurro was dear friends with Tom. He was an outstanding musician and educator and will be missed by all who knew him.
I am deeply saddened by “PROF’S passing. He was my first trumpet professor at OSU and for those of us who were there at the time… The best. He always had a funny anecdote during lessons and blowing double A’s in the hallway of his office just to listen to the re- verb and giggle. I remember him singing in Italian walking down the hallway of the Seretean center and asking “what are you singing prof?” he would answer ” hell I don’t know but it sounds cool dont it?” To this day whenever I see a LeBlanc trumpet I smell KOOL cigarettes…HA! Rest in peace PROF we love you!!!
Danny Burnes
Director of Bands
Edison Preparatory School
Tulsa, Oklahoma
I found out today 7-11-12 that Mr.M has passed. I was a student of his 17 years ago. He had a love for music like no other! He has made wonderful music and I’m sure still is in heaven. You will be missed by MANY!!! Never forgotten. Bless you Mr. M. I am sorry for the Families loss and I will be praying for you all. Just know your dad, husband, uncle, friend was a great man and has had an everlasting impression on thousands of people. Bless the Montemurro Family.
Margaret and Family,
I just heard this sad news last night, and just read Paul’s obituary, above. He was an incredible musician, professor/educator, besides being such a fun-loving guy!
He left an incredible legacy through everyone he mentored and touched in life. Margaret, I was so thrilled to be one of your vocal students at NOC, at the time you and Paul found each other, and later started your family. God truly blessed each of you in your long marriage.
I imagine that Paul is now directing that Big Band in Heaven! You go, Prof!
My prayers and thoughts are with you.
Judy Langdon, Tulsa
Mr. Montemurro was a great band director. He taught me how to play the trumpet when I was in 6th and 7th grade and because of him I was his 1st chair trumpet player
I’ll always remember the day he took our school (JFK middle school, Gallup NM) to regionals and we won 1st! We had perfect scores! without him we wouldn’t have made it so far and succeed! Thank you Mr. Montemurro for giving the opportunity to be a student and teaching me what I didn’t know. I know your playing your trumpet for us in heaven.
To his family, my prayers and love are with you during this time. May God bles s you during this time
I was so sorry to learn of Pau’s death. I remember the years we taught at Benton. He had such talent! And he inspired his students. He will be sadly missed. Margaret, you and your family have my sympathy.
Jeannine Glise
I was privilaged to have been a member of the OSU band for the first three years of Prof’s leadership there. His talend and enthusiasm were infectious and left an indelible impression on my life.
I will always carry memories of Prof in my heart.
Steve Elwart – OSU, Class of 1975
We have been out of state for the last month and just learned of Paul’s death. We send our love and sympathy to Margaret and all of the children. Paul was a unique and talented person. We will always remember him.
I was a member of the OSU Marching and Concert bands 1976-78. I was a scared, insecure girl from Florida who played alto sax and bassoon. I did not know a sole when I went to OSU, but the band family quickly became my family. I have very fond memories of Prof, two of which stand out.
During my first marching season, he “called me out” in front of the entire band. I thought for sure he was going to correct me in some way. Instead, he told everyone that he wanted their pivots to be as sharp as mine. He had me demonstrate, and as I did so, he pointed out that he could tell my pivots were sharp because of the way my ponytail snapped. He certainly made me feel special that day.
During my first semester away from home, I waited too late to make a flight reservation to come back to Florida for Christmas. There were no available seats on any planes! I did not think I was going to be able to see my family for the holidays. The OSU football team had a winning season, and they were going to the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando. Only a 50 member pep band was going to be allowed to go with them. Prof explained that he would put the names of each member of a band section in a hat, and draw out the number of names he needed. I was desperate to get home! I went to Prof, and explained my situation. I told him I would pay for a seat on the plane. I would do just about anything to get home! I even brought him a HUGE Indian River grapefruit my parents had sent me as a bribe! He let me plead my case, and then he told me that I had already been selected as a member of the pep band. I do not know if I had really been selected or if Prof just had a HUGE heart. I truly believe it was the latter.
I am very sorry your family has lost such a great man. I hope you are comforted in knowing that he made a huge impact on this “little girl from Florida!”
Thank you to all of you who have expressed condolences and shared such wonderful memories of my father! It means more than you know. :0 If any of you are on the social network site Facebook, please check out the fan club page for my father, that was started a few years back by a former student of his. It is called, “The Official “Prof” Paul A. Montemurro Fan Club.” There are many stories and memories and photo’s shared on this page, and all are welcome to join! Thank you all again, and may God Bless you and yours!
Paula Montemurro Lindon