Death of a Friend

Yesterday morning I was stunned by the news of a friend's death. In his early 70's, Jim Guter was many things to his family and friends, and his community. And to me.
It's the last part that still has me reeling, something I will ponder over a lot more before coming to grips with it.
Jim was a retired musician. A lover and professional practitioner of American Jazz. He still played gigs even while battling cancer and the usual debilitating treatments. It was as if jazz was the antidote to Jim's illness. He didn't give in to the disease; only to jazz!
Jim Guter was nominally the retired head of the Music Department at West Chicago's (Illinois) High School. For several years he labored to raise music education and its performance to a standard that would move students to a better understanding of life and its challenges using music as a teaching tool. Along the way he thrilled audiences with the musical performances that demonstrated what young people can do.
His high school career was his day job. But night time belonged to Jim Guter's Big Band organization, recreating the sounds of the Big Band Era of America's musical history. His large ensemble played throughout the greater Chicago metro area. Also, the band organization provided countless small ensembles which played formal receptions, dinners, weddings and celebrations in the same region. Fine dining spots favored Jim's ensembles with a continuous stream of performance opportunities.
These words describe the 'recent Guter era', not the lifetime of accomplishments.
Jim Guter taught school in many areas of the east coast. He went on to form a company in San Diego that provided precision marching bands for large assemblies, most notably several annual football bowl games. These productions involved hundreds of musicians marching in precise formations and field designs in full regalia. The organization and logistics were mind boggling, but more importantly, high quality demonstrations of skill, dexterity and musicianship of youthful musicians. Jim's planning, design and musical discipline made the events memorable.
I came to know Jim over the past 6 years or so. He and his lovely wife Janis, also a retired musician (high school choral education programs), moved to Warrenville (Illinois) following their retirements. I encouraged them to help form an 'arts council' for our community that would bring both performing and visual arts to the community throughout the non-summer months. The new program hoped to make many art forms highly accessible to people of all ages, educate them and focus on developing talent within the community. Eventually the Guters succumbed to my wheedling and they worked with me in creating the Warrenville Arts Council (WAC), now in its third year of operation.
Funded in collaboration with grants from the Warrenville Tourism and Arts Commission, WAC created art exhibits, concerts, recitals and art competitions, all employing several art genres. Jim's artistic knowledge and skill coupled brilliantly with Janis Guter's organizational skills. Supported by WAC's 45 members, the events were successful examples of volunteer spirit and commitment. The community is enriched by such shared gifts.
Jim Guter suffered from multiple myeloma and was undergoing aggressive chemo therapy when he developed a rare form of pneumonia. Complications presented by the latter led to his death on Friday, October 9, 2011.
His rare gifts to the community will be missed. His inspriration will live on. More personally, the hours of indepth discussions and musings will be sorely missed. They provided deeply personal sharings of ideas, feelings, hopes and dreams. Those bull sessions provided wide ranging creative ideas and comfort for restless minds. Jim's mind was such. So was his life. Thanks for all of your generous sharing, Jim. Rest easy!
December 11, 2011