Paul Edmund Bierley

Following his love of all things aeronautical, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps during World War II and served as a B-25 radio operator/gunner and bandsman from 1944-1946. After marriage to Pauline Jeanette Allison in 1948 he moved to Columbus and pursued a degree in aeronautical engineering, graduating from The Ohio State University in 1953. He was employed by North American Aviation (later North American-Rockwell) 1953-1973 and subsequently by Ellanef Manufacturing at Port Columbus (1973-1988) as a preliminary design engineer and later a production engineer.

His great love of music enriched his life from his earliest years. His principal instrument was the tuba, although he also played snare drum and cornet in school. His affiliation with musical organizations over the years included: 594th USAAF Band 1945-1946; Wheeling Steel Band of Portsmouth; Columbus Symphony Orchestra 1965-1981; founding member and assistant conductor of the North American Aviation Concert Band 1961-1975; Columbus Symphony Brass Quintet 1964-1980; World Symphony Orchestra 1973; Detroit Concert Band 1973-1993; charter member of the Brass Band of Columbus 1984-1995; Village Brass Quintet (Ohio Village Brass) 1983-2003; The New Sousa Band; Virginia Grand Military Band; and founding member of the Westerville Community Band.

He is well known for his scholarly books and publications on the subject of American composers John Philip Sousa and Henry Fillmore. His first book, John Philip Sousa, American Phenomenon, was published in 1973, followed by John Philip Sousa, A Descriptive Catalog of His Works (later republished as The Works of John Philip Sousa); Hallelujah Trombone! The Biography of Henry Fillmore; The Music of Henry Fillmore and Will Huff; and finally The Incredible Band of John Philip Sousa. He was a principal author of the 3-volume Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. In 1976 he founded his own publishing company, Integrity Press, as well as the Integrity Research Foundation to bring to light, help fund, and publish band-related literature. He authored dozens of magazine articles and reviews in music journals and produced liner notes for numerous CDs and LP series. He was also a lecturer and clinician on concert band subjects and was known for his portrayal of Uncle Sam as a narrator at band concerts. He served on the Board of Directors of the Robert Hoe Foundation for many years and was American vice president of the International Military Music Society. He was a charter member of the International Tuba and Euphonium Society and a proud member of the Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association.

He was the recipient of many music-related awards over the years, most notably an Honorary Doctor of Music from Ohio State University in 2001; the Society of American Music Lifetime Achievement Award; the Louis Sudler Medal of the Order of Merit and Star of the Order from the John Philip Sousa Foundation; the Salvation Army God and Country Award; and the Deems Taylor ASCAP Award. He was a Fellow of the National Band Association Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts, received the Ohioana Citation for Humanities and Music, and was honored by his hometown with a star on the Portsmouth, Ohio Wall of Fame. For his contributions to the military music world he was inducted as an honorary member of the U.S. Marine Corps in 2004.

He and Pauline were long-time residents of Westerville, Ohio, and members of the Church of the Messiah United Methodist Church and its Teammates Sunday School class. In his later years he was a member of the Westerville Old Buzzards Club and enjoyed reminiscing with his neighbors and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Pauline, and by his siblings William and Frank Bierley and Avanel Harrigan. He is survived by his son John Bierley (Kathryn) of Newark and daughter Lois Walker (Bill) of Polebridge, Montana; grandchildren Elizabeth Walker (Jim) of Kalispell, Montana, and Melissa Christian (Matt) of Hilliard; great-grandchildren Zia and Kaiya Walker and Alex Rockwell of Kalispell, Montana, and Aria Christian of Hilliard; niece Betty Holling (Doug) of Evergreen, Colorado; nephew Blaine Bierley (Carolyn) of Hilliard and niece Susan Mauk (Dana) of Wheelersburg; a brother-in-law Ralph Allison (Helga) of Pelham, Alabama; and numerous grand nieces and nephews.

His remains have been donated to the Ohio State University College of Medicine. A memorial service will be held on May 7 at Northwest Christian Church, 1340 Fishinger Road in Upper Arlington. The family suggests that memorial contributions may be made to the Paul Bierley endowment at the University of Illinois, which exists to further research on Sousa and other American band personalities and their music. Checks made payable to the University of Illinois Foundation and earmarked for the Paul Bierley Sousa Research Fund may be mailed to: University of Illinois Foundation, 1305 W. Green St.-MC-386, Urbana IL 61801.