Dr. Jerry Lee Voorhees passed away on Monday, December 12, 2022 in his Hammond, LA home at the age of 83. He was born on July 8, 1939 to the late Frank “Bud” Holden Voorhees and the late Rachel Haig Voorhees in St. Louis, MO.
Jerry was Emeritus Professor of Music at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, specializing in the bassoon. During his 30+ year career, he taught music to thousands of students, at levels ranging from basic music fundamentals to advanced private instrument lessons.
He was a highly accomplished performer, and principal bassoon and soloist in the Baton Rouge Symphony, the New Orleans Ballet, and the Jefferson Performing Arts Society Orchestra. He was also a member of the Grace Memorial Episcopal Church Choir in Hammond.
But he also had a passion for music education, especially of children, that extended far beyond his official faculty and performance duties. Jerry founded a number of camps and ensembles for younger musicians in the greater Hammond area. These included SLU's Young Musicians Camp and the Wesleyan Brass and Canterbury Brass ensembles. For at least fifteen summers, Jerry brought local students to Algoma Music Camp in Ontario, Canada.
He created and led the Collegium Musicum, an archaic music ensemble at SLU, and taught bassoon for SLU's Community Music School from the program's beginning. In 2007, he founded the Northlake Community Band, and served as its director until 2021.
Jerry loved to work with his hands. He designed and constructed an elaborate backyard workshop from which he crafted many household improvements, including a screen porch, kitchen cabinets, numerous bookshelves, and other renovations.
His favorite recreation was scale model building. From his teen years on, he particularly focused on building models of World War II aircraft at 1/72nd scale. Over the years, he built hundreds of these models, and also a pair of lighted display cabinets to store them.
He was gifted at mechanical repair, and repaired musical instruments at SLU throughout his career and following his retirement.
Jerry was a man of few words, but his warmth, spirit, integrity, and sense of dedication ran deep. He was a lifelong reader and a perpetual student of life. it was his nature to encourage others - family, friends, students, and colleagues - to follow their road and become the best version of themselves. In a word, he was faithful.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jeanne Elizabeth Voorhees; his children, Joyce Lynne Uhlir and her husband James, John Lee Voorhees and his wife Tanya; and his grandchildren, Rachel Jean Uhlir, Gina Therese Uhlir, James Joseph Uhlir, Chloe Anaise Bertrand and her husband Kincheon Varner Combs III, and PJ Voorhees.
A memorial service and visitation will be held at Grace Episcopal Church in Hammond, LA on January 7, 2023. Visitation will be held in the parish hall from 10:00 a.m. until memorial services at 11:00 am in the church.
