Dr. Rollie Earl Blondeau was born on March 19, 1935 in Brenham, Texas, as the only child of Evelyn and Earl Blondeau. He graduated from McAllen High School in 1953 and then from Trinity University in San Antonio in 1957. During his time at Trinity he met a fellow music student named Colleen Henderson. After marrying in 1957, Rollie and Colleen began a life-long journey together filled with raising two daughters, Carrie and Elisse, and nurturing their shared passion for teaching and performing music.
He earned his Masters in music from Yale University in 1960 and his Doctorate in music from the University of Iowa in 1976. He was an Associate Professor of Music at Iowa State University from 1968-1971. Rollie and his family returned to Texas in 1971 after he was hired to be the head of the voice department at Abilene Christian University. Colleen was also a Voice Professor at ACU, and together the two influenced the lives of countless music students.
After he and Colleen retired from ACU in 1984, Rollie’s music career focused on church music. He sang in the choir at Laurel Heights United Methodist Church, and led choirs at Alamo Heights Christian Church in San Antonio and Fredericksburg United Methodist Church in Fredericksburg. During his final years in Georgetown, he shared his gift of music singing in the San Gabriel Chorale and the San Gabriel Presbyterian choir, as well as playing in their bell choir.
Rollie loved many things in life, most of all Colleen, his daughters and their husbands Kerry and Raymond, his four grandchildren Katie, Allison, Emily, and Ben, his great-grandson Kieran, and many other friends and family members. His impressive tenor voice captivated any audience, and he composed and arranged a remarkable amount of music. Rollie enjoyed cooking, reading, hunting, writing, and listening to music by the great composers. He was fond of sharing stories from his eventful life and told them with great enthusiasm to anyone he happened to encounter.
Those whom Rollie leaves behind will greatly miss him, but they take comfort in the knowledge that he and his beloved Colleen are together once again.
A Memorial Service to celebrate Rollie's life will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, May 18, 2019 at San Gabriel Presbyterian Church in Georgetown, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be to: San Gabriel Presbyterian Church Bell Choir. If you wish to make an online donation, visit www.sgpcgeorgetown.org/give and write "Rollie Blondeau" in the notes section.
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