Dr. George S. Holtzscher

2/11/1935-4/27/2021

George Holtzscher, of Glen Carbon,  passed peacefully from this earth to join his Heavenly Father on April 27, surrounded by loved ones.

He was a 1954 graduate of Granite City High School where he was a member of the band for 4 years as well as drum major for 2 years. He was the Master Counselor of  the Demolays and was a recipient of the Chevaliers' Degree. Later on in life, he was awarded the Legion of Honor for his contributions to his community.

Following high school graduation, George attended the Missouri School of Mines and then transferred to SIU-C where he received his B.A. in Music Education. He was in the band for 4 years and was the drum major for 1 year. He was also a member of the Summer Stock Theater for 3 years.

While at SIU, he met his bride-to-be, Judy McDonnell.  While engaged, he directed his fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa, and she directed her sorority Tri Sigma in the annual Greek Sing Competition.  They were both honored to receive first-place trophies.

George was a radio broadcaster at WCIL in Carbondale for 5 years, and he was offered a job at KDTH Dubuque, Iowa. They had a summer wedding and interrupted their schooling in order to take the job. Months later he was offered a job at Channel 24 in Springfield, and they made a decision to turn it down and return to SIU to complete their degrees in Audiology and Speech Pathology.

Following graduation, George was hired as the first trained Clinical Audiologist on faculty at the

Washington University Medical School for 10 years and served with the ENT Department at Barnes Hospital. He traveled several times with the ENT staff to participate in the shark/stingray project at the Lerner Marine Lab in Bimini.

Other jobs included time at St. Louis Hearing and Speech and serving as an Associate Professor at Fontbonne College establishing an Audiology Department.

George later went into private practice operating out of 4 offices. He also served as a consulting Audiologist at Christian Welfare, Memorial, and St. Mary's Hospitals.  In addition, he worked alongside Dr. Lloyd Thompson, ENT, for 10 years.

In his free time, he directed the Collinsville Presbyterian Church Choir for 18 years. Following that, he and Judy co-directed the Son-Life Choir for 10 years. Later, they became involved in the world of barbershop harmony. He was the founding director of Collinsville's Mississippi Valley Chorus in which his sons were members and was also the Director of Music Education for the Illinois District.

Later George directed, and then co- directed with Judy,  the Sweet Adeline Chorus in Collinsville which qualified for International Competition three times. George was also a member and Music Vice-president of the St. Charles Ambassadors of Harmony Chorus—4-time International Champions.

When he was 65, George decided to continue his education and earned his Doctor of Audiology degree and continued to practice until he was 80-years old.

George loved the outdoors and cherished his time fishing and golfing with his sons and  hunting with them and his friend Perry Fox.  He also love camping and taking float trips  with 22 families from his two choral groups.

He has served on the board of his neighborhood, Fountains of Sunset, for several years and was the current President.

But what he loved the most was serving the Lord at the First Baptist Church in Maryville. He and Judy sang in the choir and were on the Funeral Committee, and he served as Personnel Chairman.  He believed in praying for people on the spot when they shared their problems and then he added them to the prayer list on his refrigerator so that they would receive additional prayer during his morning Bible-study time.

He was preceded in death by his parents George and Burdine, his sister Nancy and his brother-in-law Tom McDonnell.  George leaves behind Judy, his wife of 61 years; his sons Tom (Jessica) and Eric (Sandra); a brother Allen (Janet); 4 grandchildren, Haley, Christian, Aidan and Griffin; nieces Laura, Cindy, Susan and Becky; his nephew Mark; and a sister-in-law Charlotte McDonnell.

Funeral Services will be held at First Baptist Church of Maryville, 7110 Ste. Rte. 162, Maryville, IL, at 11:00 a.m.  on Saturday May 1, 2021, with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. under the direction of Sunset Hill Funeral Home & Cremation Services.  His beloved Pastor, Dr. Tom Hufty, will officiate.

Masks are optional, but not required, while entering and leaving.

A private burial will be held at Sunset Hills Cemetery.

The service may be viewed at www.fbmaryville.org/holtzscherfuneral You may view the video of the service up to 2 weeks afterwords.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the First Baptist Church of Maryville