A Legacy of Music – A Legacy of Love

The passing of former UL Director of Bands, John Wendell Gilfry on February 10, 2006 marked the loss of a great music educator who affected several generations of musicians and music lovers in the Lafayette area. "Prof" Gilfry was the standard by which all of us who ever aspired to be band directors tried to measure up to. None of us ever got close to that standard, but we are all better human beings for trying.

A 1939 graduate of the University of Oregon, he taught at Clinton Kelly High School in Portland and in 1942 enlisted in the United States Air Force and served until the end of World War II. For the love of a blond Cajun girl named Hazel Broussard, John Gilfry left his beloved Willamette Valley of Oregon and settled here in 1948 to teach music. He and Hazel were married for 59 years and he taught music at Lafayette Elementary, Lafayette Senior High and for 28 years was Director of Bands at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI/USL), as it was then known until his retirement in July of 1983.

As a member of his band at the university, I along with other music students learned our craft from this master teacher. His knowledge of music was as deep as his passion for it and he had this natural ability to impart both the passion and the knowledge. Many members of the band however, were not music majors, but his ability to teach life skills through music made a tremendous impact on all of our lives.

Here are a few sentiments expressed by former students:

“He had a profound effect on all of us he touched no matter what path we would take in life.”
Tom Cormier (’65) Everret, WA

“Mr. Gilfry was the kindest, most humble, and the best musician we have ever known. He gave his students a desire to be the best that they could be, both professionally and musically. There was no other like him. He was truly a beacon to all who had the good fortune to have been associated with him.”
Julie and Raul Prado, Thibodaux, LA

“He was such a gentle giant - his grasp of music - his sensitivity to the needs and dreams of his students - his ability to shape a mass of klutzy young adults into a precision musical ensemble - his encouragement was unending and support never wavered.”
Melissa Lucia (’71), Interlachen, FL

“I’ve never known anyone who could say as much through his eyes as Prof could. There was the twinkle when we played well, and a glare he could give us when we didn’t. I remember one rehearsal in particular when we spent nearly the entire session trying to get past the first 8 counts of Stars and Stripes Forever. I think he was trying to teach us more than how to play it like Sousa intended it to be played; he was teaching a lesson on being passionate in the pursuit of perfection. He didn’t need to say anything…when we got the twinkle we knew we had pleased the man, and that’s what we all took great pride and pleasure in doing.”
Marc Schomerus (’72), Nederland, TX

“We will cherish the memories of our beloved "Prof" whose guidance and influence helped to mold the future of many of us during our college years with the USL Band. A musical master, a gentle man, he always had the time to listen to a musical piece, to share a story, to tell a good joke. The week my twins were born - 36 years ago - he came to my home, said "Let me see 'em, Bub!” He checked them out and told me it was my 'best duet'.”
Laurel Hansen Lewellen (’70), Seattle, WA

“He was the finest band director I have ever had the privilege of knowing. I have always wished that I could have learned one fourth of what he forgot in regards to music and directing bands.”
Glen Delaune (’61) Youngsville, LA

“Prof was a guiding light and one of the few great men I've known. Another student of his reminded me a year or two ago that a band rehearsal with Mr. Gilfry was always a master class in conducting. For me, having the opportunity to play in his wonderful USL bands in the mid-60's was a great blessing, and a master class in life.”
Graham Smith (’69) Lafayette, LA

“He was a musical genius, but truly humble, humorous, and so faithful to his family. Any one who was taught by Prof can attest to the great lessons of music we all learned and the wonderful life lessons we also received from him.”
Sister Mary Andrew, O.P. (Patti Hession) (’73) Hampton, VA

“Mr. Gilfry was one of the most impressive people I have ever had the privilege of learning from. The epitome of dedication and professionalism, combined with a compassion for each student, some forty years later, and for all the days to come, he will continue to stand out in my memory. Rest in peace Prof, the Heavenly Band just got a whole lot better!”
John Lester (’65) Houston, TX

"He had a profound effect on all of us he touched no matter what path we would take in life."
Tom Cormier ('65) Everret, WA

The Lafayette area is blessed today with outstanding music programs and teachers due to the high standards set by John Gilfry during his tenure at the university. For years, his students fanned out across Acadiana to begin their careers as teachers, passing along the knowledge and passion for music and excellence that we learned from “Prof”. The power of this one man’s teaching is still evident and can be seen and heard at every band festival and band concert where thousands of people share in his teaching as it is handed down from one generation to the next.

The legacy of John Gilfry resides in the hearts of those many students that were under his baton. He touched our souls and brought joy to our lives through music. He taught us to be passionate about life and through the study of music, he taught us to strive for perfection in everything we do.

That will be the legacy of John Wendell Gilfry – a legacy of music – a legacy of love.

Gerald Guilbeaux (’72)
windband@bellsouth.net