Obituary of Quenten Dale DOOLITTLE

May 21, 1925 – Elmira, New York March 9, 2018 – Calgary, Alberta Quenten beloved husband of Joyce Doolittle (nee Donahue) of Calgary, AB, passed away on March 9, 2018 at the age of 92 years. Born in Elmira, New York on May 21, 1925, Quenten had a happy childhood as the fifth of seven children. He served in Europe in the U.S. Army in the Second World War and at the war’s end, was stationed in Czechoslovakia where he conducted a regimental choir. On returning home, he attended Ithaca College on the GI Bill, studying music. It was here that he met Joyce Donahue. The two of them became life partners and enjoyed a marriage of sixty-seven years. From Ithaca, Quenten and Joyce attended Indiana University where they earned their masters degrees, and where their first child, Megan, was born. Quenten taught strings in Kenosha, Wisconsin for three years before attending The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York where he received his Doctorate in Music with a major in violin. He was loaned a Stradivarius violin for his graduate recital, but was only allowed to keep it for practice one week. In 1960 Quenten became the second appointment in the new University of Alberta at Calgary’s Department of Music, prompting a cross-continent move with Joyce, three young children and a ten day-old baby in a 1950s Buick station wagon. In a department of only two, he taught a myriad of subjects, but as the department grew, he specialized in contemporary music and strings and conducted the university chamber orchestra. Quenten played with the Calgary Philharmonic for many years and was principal violist for seven of those years. During this time, he gave annual solo recitals, and performed as recently as the occasion of his 90th birthday. While still at the University of Calgary, Quenten, along with the artist John Snow, founded New Works Calgary, an organization with the mandate to perform contemporary classical music, especially the work of local and western Canadian composers. Quenten composed over fifty works, including orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo works, and four chamber operas including Boiler Room Suite, performed in Banff, Toronto, Cardiff, Wales and London, England, and Charlie the Chicken performed in Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal. He composed and chose the music for the scores of plays Joyce directed for the university department of drama, and many other theatrical collaborations ranging from music theatre to music and sound scores for plays and film. Even into his 90s, Quenten loved athletic pursuits. He was a strong swimmer and throughout the winter skied weekly in the mountains. He and Joyce spent at least part of their summers at their home on Hornby Island, where Quenten enjoyed riding his bicycle and occasionally wind-surfing. Friends of the Doolittle’s will remember the convivial and at times raucous parties at their Calgary home in Mount Royal. Quenten is survived by wife Joyce; children, Megan of London, England, Eric of Calgary, and Lisa and Fred of Lethbridge; grandchildren Terry, Patrick, William and Carolyn; and his sister Janice Tuttle of Syracuse, New York. Quenten was predeceased by his daughter Amy in 2009. A celebration of Quenten’s life, featuring his music and music he loved, is being planned in the near future. In lieu of flowers, friends are encouraged to make a donation to New Works Calgary or any other worthy arts organization. Condolences may be forwarded through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In living memory of Quenten Doolittle, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH, Telephone: 403-276-2296.