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Nunc Dimittis

May 1, 2013
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Nunc Dimittis

Fred Gluck, of Oldsmar, Florida, formerly of Erie, Pennsylvania, died March 22 at the age of 95. Born and raised in East Orange, New Jersey, he graduated from Cooper Union with a degree in electrical engineering. After working for the Pentagon during World War II, he later moved to Erie, Pennsylvania as president of Astatic Corporation, Conneaut, Ohio, from 1955 to 1970. In 1970, with two investors he purchased Durst & Co. of Erie. In 1971, they purchased Organ Supply Corporation and began the process of integrating two competing companies in the pipe organ supply business founded by brothers Fred and Val Durst. As president of Organ Supply Industries, Inc. (OSI), Fred Gluck quickly garnered the respect of American and international organ builders for quality products and reputable dealing. In 1982, Fred began the process of converting OSI from a privately held company to an employee-owned corporation.

When Fred retired in 1986, he left OSI as an employee-owned company. At the request of the new management, he continued his interest in the pipe organ industry as a member of OSI’s board of trustees and the ESOP committee, serving until 2012. Fred Gluck is survived by three daughters and four grandsons. Memorial observances will be held later this year.

—Randy Wagner

 

Ferenc (Frank) Gyuratz died March 5 in Erie, Pennsylvania. Born May 1, 1928 in Buk, Hungary, he worked as an accountant in Budapest, Hungary, and immigrated to the United States after the Hungarian Revolution. He began his career as a voicer and pipe maker with the Tellers Organ Company in 1956. After the transition from Tellers to Phelps & Associates he remained with Phelps in the capacity of head voicer until the company closed in 1976. Gyuratz was approached by the Rodgers Organ Company in 1978 to establish a pipe-making facility in Erie. There, Gyuratz employed as many as 39 pipe makers. When the Rodgers facility in Erie closed, Frank Gyuratz continued to operate as an independent voicer and pipe maker in facilities leased from Henry Tellers in Erie until his retirement in 2002. Ference (Frank) Gyuratz was preceded in death by his wife Beverly and is survived by a daughter, two sons, two grandchildren, a great-grandson, and a sister.

 

Delbert Saman died February 10. He was 73. Born in Myrtle, Minnesota, Saman exhibited a talent for music at an early age; during his years at Austin High School, he played several band instruments, and as a freshman became the school choir accompanist. At Oberlin Conservatory Saman studied organ with Garth Peacock, and abroad at the Salzburg Mozarteum. In 1966 he moved to Portland, Oregon, working as organist at Fremont Methodist Church and accompanist for Portland Parks & Recreation musical productions. At this time he met his future wife, Helen Susan Carter.

Saman served as organist for six years at Rose City Methodist, and subsequently studied organ and harpsichord with John Hamilton at the University of Oregon in Eugene. He served as organist at an Anglican church while in Wichita, and in Omaha as accompanist for a production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd

Returning to Portland in 1983, Saman served at Trinity Lutheran Church in Gresham, and for 25 years as organist for Cantores in Ecclesia, a Catholic choir dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony in liturgical context within the Latin Mass. Saman accompanied weekly Masses at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and toured with the group to Europe and Mexico. He also held organist positions at First Congregational Church and St. Mary’s Cathedral, and was involved with the Oregon Opera Ensemble, Male Ensemble Northwest, Pacific University,
and numerous other groups. A regular performer in the Sack Lunch concert series at The Old Church in Portland, he was a member of its board of directors.

Delbert Saman is survived by his wife Helen Saman, and by sisters Victoria Bjortant and Susan Woodle.

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