Known for her frequent bouts of giggling, Louise found daily humor in all aspects of life, and was irrepressibly cheerful, bringing joy to many every day.
Louise was a career flutist, and studied at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where she met her future husband, Merlin Escott, a fellow student and bass and tuba player. Louise and Merlin were married in Park Ridge, Illinois at the Tyre’s home, and following a Niagara Falls Honeymoon in New York, they moved to Texas for Merlin’s symphonic career, first to Houston, then San Antonio where their only daughter, Carolyn was born. After several Texas years they moved to Illinois, and lived in the Chicago area from the early 1950s until the early 1980s.
Louise had a few unusual jobs in the ‘50s, including plane spotting, and teaching songs to a class of little children of migrant Mexican farm workers to help them learn English. She was active with SAI, her music sorority, and performed as soloist and as 1st flute with numerous orchestras and bands around the greater Chicago area. She taught many hundreds of young flutists, sometimes giving 60 lessons per week, and didn’t like charging more than a few dollars because it was so important to her to share her God-given gift with as many children as she could.
In the ‘60s the little family of 3 loved to go camping. Through the ‘70s Louise and Merlin camped all across the U.S., sometimes traveling to painting classes, which was their shared new hobby. Both sold paintings at art shows, and Louise served in officer roles at the DuPage Art League in Wheaton, Illinois. Meanwhile, busy music teaching and performance activities continued, as well as many church activities.
Louise and Merlin planned to retire to Spring Hill Florida, but Louise was suddenly widowed in 1983, and came ahead to Florida on her own. There she continued to be busy with flute performances and with the Spring Hill Art League, and she found a spiritual home at Spring Hill United Church of Christ, particularly enjoying the choir there, and making many new and dear friends along the way.
Louise met Frank Voscinar in ballroom dance classes. They were soon married and Louise moved to Frank’s farm home in Masaryktown, Florida. Together they drove to all 49 continental U.S. states, enjoying many happy years together, and Louise especially enjoyed having step-grandchildren. Louise was widowed for a 2nd time, and continued to enjoy living in Masaryktown as many years as she was able, enjoying sitting outside and playing with the neighbor’s children. Her last several years were at Crown Pointe in Spring Hill, where she was unfailingly cheerful every day, and thankful for the good food and all the good people there.
Louise is survived by her sister, Jane Wagner, and daughter Carolyn, and son-in-law Richard Haile. She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews and Frank’s daughter Nancy May, and Frank Voscinar’s grandchildren as well as many true friends across the U.S. She now rests happy with Jesus. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to a music or art organization or your church in Louise’s memory.
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