Ralph Aloysius Sordyl was born February 21, 1931, in Flint, Michigan. He was the son of John Joseph and Josephine Frances (Kusek) Sordyl, both Polish immigrants. He was one of five children. He departed this life on July 21, 2022. He was predeceased by Jane, his wife of 64 years, and his daughter, Lenore. He is survived by eight children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Ralph was born and baptized in Flint, Michigan and was a lifelong, faithful, and dedicated member of The Catholic Church. He was the first in his family to go to college. He received a scholarship from Michigan State University as the Drum Major for the Michigan State Marching Band. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music performance and was proud to have performed in the Rose Bowl twice. Ralph was drafted into the army in 1956. Prior to his deployment to Germany, he was stationed at the army base at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He became the choir director and met and fell in love with Jane Frances Redel. They were married on April 22, 1957, in Frankfurt, Germany at the Allerheiligen Kirche. Ralph performed in the 3rd Army Band on clarinet and later became the second bassoonist in the 7th Army Symphony. In between a rigorous concert schedule throughout Germany, they purchased a car and traveled Europe together. Lenore, their first child, was born in Stuttgart. After discharge, they moved to Springfield, Illinois where Ralph became a professor of music at Springfield College. He also repaired woodwinds. After he accepted an invitation from Selmer to represent their woodwind instrument company, he founded The House of Music. They quickly grew beyond a showroom in their home and opened the House of Music in 1968 at 3rd and North Grand in Springfield (where it still stands). For over the next 50 years, Ralph and Jane worked tirelessly to grow the House of Music into a community institution while Ralph continued to play bassoon with the Springfield Symphony, Decatur Symphony and Jacksonville Symphony, as well as performing with various groups on the clarinet, saxophone, oboe or English horn.
Ralph was the proud father of nine children: Lenore Thompson (predeceased), Dr. Eileen Sordyl (Marty Scanlan), Alicia Popham (Todd), John Sordyl, Jennifer Sordyl (Don Berg), Laura Hipp (Steve), Ralph Jr. (Diana), Dr. Elizabeth Sordyl (Rob Sudduth) and Leo Sordyl. Grandchildren include Genevieve Scanlan, Chelsea Richardson (Lee), Austin Popham (Michelle), Abigail Oberg, Jonathan Oberg, Kayla Hipp, Megan Rose Hipp, Logan Hipp, and Luca Sudduth. Great-grandchildren include Luke, Mackenzie Jo and Sadie Leigh Richardson.
Funeral services will be held this fall in Springfield, Illinois and Vienna, Missouri. Dates to be announced.
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Ralph Aloysius Sordyl was born February 21, 1931, in Flint, Michigan. He was the son of John Joseph and Josephine Frances (Kusek) Sordyl, both Polish immigrants. He was one of five children. He departed this life on July 21, 2022. He was predeceased by Jane, his wife of 64 years, and his daughter, Lenore. He is survived by eight children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Ralph was born and baptized in Flint, Michigan and was a lifelong, faithful, and dedicated member of The Catholic Church. He was the first in his family to go to college. He received a scholarship from Michigan State University as the Drum Major for the Michigan State Marching Band. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music performance and was proud to have performed in the Rose Bowl twice. Ralph was drafted into the army in 1956. Prior to his deployment
to Germany, he was stationed at the army base at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He became the choir director and met and fell in love with Jane Frances Redel. They were married on April 22, 1957, in Frankfurt, Germany at the Allerheiligen Kirche. Ralph performed in the 3rd Army Band on clarinet and later became the second bassoonist in the 7th Army Symphony. In between a rigorous concert schedule throughout Germany, they purchased a car and traveled Europe together. Lenore, their first child, was born in Stuttgart. After discharge, they moved to Springfield, Illinois where Ralph became a professor of music at Springfield College. He also repaired woodwinds. After he accepted an invitation from Selmer to represent their woodwind instrument company, he founded The House of Music. They quickly grew beyond a showroom in their home and opened the House of Music in 1968 at 3rd and North Grand in Springfield (where it still stands). For over the next 50 years, Ralph and Jane worked tirelessly to grow the House of Music into a community institution while Ralph continued to play bassoon with the Springfield Symphony, Decatur Symphony and Jacksonville Symphony, as well as performing with various groups on the clarinet, saxophone, oboe or English horn.
Ralph was the proud father of nine children: Lenore Thompson (predeceased), Dr. Eileen Sordyl (Marty Scanlan), Alicia Popham (Todd), John Sordyl, Jennifer Sordyl (Don Berg), Laura Hipp (Steve), Ralph Jr. (Diana), Dr. Elizabeth Sordyl (Rob Sudduth) and Leo Sordyl. Grandchildren include Genevieve Scanlan, Chelsea Richardson (Lee), Austin Popham (Michelle), Abigail Oberg, Jonathan Oberg, Kayla Hipp, Megan Rose Hipp, Logan Hipp, and Luca Sudduth. Great-grandchildren include Luke, Mackenzie Jo and Sadie Leigh Richardson.
Funeral services will be held this fall in Springfield, Illinois and Vienna, Missouri. Dates to be announced.
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