Nunc Dimittis
Joseph Edwin Lee, Jr., 95, of Knoxville, Tennessee, died February 6. He was born January 22, 1922, in Moscow, Idaho, and raised in rural towns of North Dakota and Wisconsin. Lee attended Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, graduating in 1944 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, that year to participate in the Manhattan Project of World War II as an electrical engineer. Having studied piano and organ, he formed Lee Organ, Inc., building and maintaining organs in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. Lee was a charter member of the American Institute of Organbuilders. Joseph Edwin Lee, Jr., is survived by his six children: Pat (Dave) Arnett of Florida, Becky Szymanski of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Debbie Ice of Texas, Joe (Julie) Lee of Oak Ridge, Cathy Lee of Kansas, and Ardyce Lee of Oak Ridge; one brother, Reverend Paul (Barbara) Lee of Wisconsin; six grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
Helen Skuggedal Reed, 68, died March 19 in Evansville, Indiana. An organist, harpsichordist, and pianist, she also served as librarian of the William H. Miller Library in the Vanderburgh Circuit and Superior Courts, Evansville, for more than 30 years.
Born June 19, 1948, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, she began piano studies at age three, later studying piano, organ, and music theory with Maitland Farmer. She earned an associate diploma (Piano) from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (English) with honors from Dalhousie University, Halifax, in 1969, and a Master of Music degree in organ performance from the University of Michigan as a student of Robert Glasgow in 1971.
At the University of Evansville, she served as organist of Neu Chapel (1976–-1983) and as adjunct professor of organ and harpsichord (since 2015). She also served as organist of Washington Avenue Presbyterian Church, Evansville (1984–1990), and Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Evansville (since 1991). She performed as principal harpsichordist of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra (since 1984) and was recently honored for “20 Years of Excellence.” She was a founding member and harpsichordist of the Evansville Chamber Orchestra (1981) and performed with the Harmonie Consort and the Evansville Chamber Singers.
Helen Reed performed numerous solo harpsichord and organ recitals throughout the eastern United States and Canada, for the Royal Canadian College of Organists National Convention in Halifax and for the Historical Keyboard Society of North America Conference at McGill University. Most recently, she was the treasurer for HKSNA. She was an active member of the Evansville AGO chapter for which she served as dean for several years.
Reed’s work as librarian began at the University of Michigan Law School where she worked as an assistant (1972–73). She then became the librarian of the Hochstein Music School, Rochester, New York (1973–1975). After serving as acting archivist in the University of Southern Indiana library (1978–1980), she worked at the William H. Miller Law Library in Evansville. She served as archival consultant of Evansville Museum of Arts and Sciences (1984–85) and executive board member of Four Rivers Area Library (1988–1991).
Helen Skuggedal Reed is survived by her son, Eric Reed; daughter-in-law Sarah Zun; grandson, Oliver Reed; brother and sister-in-law, John Skuggedal and Deirdre Floyd; and former spouse, continued friend, and trusted colleague, Douglas Reed.
A memorial service and concert will be held at First Presbyterian Church, Evansville, on May 20. Contributions may be made to the Evansville Chapter AGO for the restoration of the historic Giesecke Organ, named in her memory: 609 SE Second Street, Evansville, Indiana 47713.
