The Cliffe College of Creative Arts and the Dana School of Music are sad to announce the passing of Dr. Stephen L. Gage, the longtime director of Bands and Orchestra at Youngstown State University.
Gage, 66, of Chrisman, Ill., died Sunday, Feb. 5 at I.U. Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
“Dr. Gage was much beloved and respected throughout our community and beyond. His passion for music and dedication to his students and profession made a positive and lasting impression that cannot be understated. Simply stated, Dr. Gage made the world a better place, and he will be dearly missed,” said the Cliffe College of Creative Arts and the Dana School of Music in a statement.
Gage served for 28 years as director of Bands and Orchestra. While in Youngstown, he also conducted the Youngstown Symphony Youth Orchestra and the W.D. Packard Concert Band.
Dr. Stephen L. Gage was born July 10, 1956, in Warsaw, N.Y., the son of Rollin Gage and Carol (Mandeville) Gage Brown. He was married to Stephanie Samford on Aug. 3, 1991, at the Kidley Church in Kidley, Ill.
He is survived by Stephanie; three children, Matthew Stephen Gage of Austin, Texas, Claudia Janette Gage of Bloomington, Ind., and Brendan Royce Gage of Chrisman; a brother, Kenneth (Lynne) Gage of Greece, N.Y.; and a granddaughter, Zoey Lynette Gage of Austin, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents; a stepfather, Oliver Brown; and two brothers, Robert and Randall.
A memorial service celebrating his life will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11 at Templeton Funeral Home, 600 E. Court St., Paris, Ill. 61944. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 10 at the funeral home. A private interment, taking place at a later date, will occur at Friends Chapel Cemetery. A memorial concert will be held in honor of Steve at Stambaugh Auditorium in Youngstown on Sunday, May 21.
Gage earned a Doctor of Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music from the State University of New York at Fredonia.
He most recently served as interim director of Bands at Indiana State University, School of Music. Prior to his years at Youngstown State, Gage served as director of Bands and Orchestra at Emporia State University in Kansas, and director of Bands at Auburn High School in New York.
Gage was inducted into the American Bandmasters Association in 1999. He was a member of the National Bandmasters Association and the Ohio Chapter of Phi Beta Mu. He was inducted into the inaugural class of Auburn High School’s Music Hall of Fame. He recently served on the board of directors of the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra, the Paris Fine Arts Center in Illinois, and the Pinnacle Winds in Missouri.
He enjoyed meeting students and music directors and worked to create lasting relationships, spending hours communicating on social media and through texts. He was passionate about music, students, and his work. He was an avid fan of the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Dodgers, often mixing his fan gear. He loved coffee, and doughnuts were his breakfast of choice.
He loved his family and was a proud father, reveling in the accomplishments of his children. His faith was an important part of his life and he shared that with many people simply in the way he approached life.
The community is invited to share a memory, photo, or condolence with Stephen’s family on his Tribute Wall at www.TempletonFuneralHome.com….
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to the Youngstown State University Foundation or the Indiana State University Foundation.
- Youngstown State University Foundation, 655 Wick Ave., Youngstown, Ohio 44502. Online at ysufoundation.org… by clicking “Give Now.”
- Indiana State University Foundation, 30 North 5th St., Terre Haute, Ind. 47809. Online at givetoindianastate.org….
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