After a short illness, Byron Adams Wolverton, 86, of San Marcos, passed away peacefully in the Hospice Unit at Christus Santa Rosa Hospital.
Born on May 10, 1934, and raised in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, he was the second child of Forrest and Thelma Wolverton and brother of Forrest Mike Wolverton.
He graduated high school from Jefferson City (Missouri) Junior College, and continued there for his freshman year of college. While studying piano in Jefferson City, Byron met his future wife at his piano teacher’s residence. In 1955, he obtained his B.A. from the University of Missouri, Columbia in piano performance, and four days later, married Betty Louise Kappelmann. He completed his master’s degree in 1956, after which he returned to Jefferson City as a teacher at Lincoln University. Byron served in the Army from 1957 to 1959 – a position which had him stationed in Louisiana, Arkansas, Massachusetts, and finally with the Army Air Defense Command at Ent Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After leaving the military and returning to civilian life, he began work on his doctorate in musicology at Indiana University, completing his dissertation in 1966.
While still completing his Ph.D., he began his long career as an academic and teacher at St. Cloud (Minnesota) State University, where Byron and Betty had their first child. They next moved to San Marcos when Byron was offered a faculty position in the Music Department at Southwest Texas State University, a position he held from 1964 to 1997. While in San Marcos, they had their second child, and Byron served the community and his church as the organist at First American Lutheran Church for many years. He was a talented, patient, and well-regarded teacher, and he impacted the lives of hundreds of music students. He formally retired from SWT in 1997, but continued to teach part time for five more years. After retirement, Byron and Betty traveled extensively and had adventures in Russia, Italy, and many other European countries.
Byron is survived by his wife of 65 years, Betty Wolverton, his sons, Michael and Christopher Wolverton, and two grandchildren, Scott and Mark Wolverton. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, September 12 at 9 a.m. at Pennington Funeral Home and a graveside service will follow immediately at San Marcos Cemetery at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations may be made to either CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospice-San Marcos, 1301 Wonder World Drive or to First Lutheran Church, 130 W. Holland Street, both in San Marcos, Texas 78666
Arrangements in care of Pennington Funeral Home, 323 N. Comanche St., San Marcos, Texas78666. 512-353-4311 – www.penningtonfuneralhome.com
