Echo Elaine Lum McNeilly, longtime resident of Santa Ana, died on December 22nd in Corona after being in declining health for some time. Echo was a lifelong pianist who worked for many years as Staff Accompanist at University High School in Irvine under choral director Dan Trevino. She also was an accompanist at Bassett Voice Studios in Santa Ana.
Echo was born in Verdon, Nebraska to Clyde V. and Echo Lum. She attended college at Peru State College in Nebraska and at one time worked as a teacher in Nebraska. She later met and married Richard D. McNeilly, a union which lasted for 48 years until his death in 1995.
Echo is survived by sons Richard Andrew of Austin, Texas, sons Bruce David and Jay Matthew of Corona, California, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by sisters Betty Lorraine Hutchison and Madeline Frances Kinsey.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Echo’s name to Orange County School of the Arts.