CLOTHIER, Dr. Richard Iven "Dick" & Louita (GOODE)

GOODE, CLOTHIER, ANGEROUTH

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/10/2016 at 13:19:39

BIOGRAPHY - DR. RICHARD IVEN "DICK" & LOUITA (GOODE) CLOTHIER

Richard I. "Dick" Clothier was born in Dow City, Iowa, on January 19, 1937, the son of Wesley Iven and Leila Mae Clothier. The family moved to a farm in eastern Indepencce when Dick was a small boy.

A visible fixture in many Graceland musical performaces, Dick Clothier joined the college's music faculty in 1960 at the age of 23 years. He was originally hired as director of the Graceland Band, however he began a long tenure as director of the Graceland Orchestra. He had graduated from Graceland in 1955, completing his B.A. from Pittsburg State University in 1957, his master's degree at the University of Iowa in 1961, and his doctorate (with a straight 4.0 g.p.a.) from the University of Northern Colorado in 1967.

In 1967, Dr. Clothier began serving as the Chairman of Fine Arts Division, a position he held for 12 years, and became director of the orchestra.

The Clothiers left Graceland for a few years during the 1970's to head the music department at the American School in London, England, a rare opportunity. They returned to Lamoni in 1980, and Dick resumed his teaching responsibilities at Graceland where over the years he has taught a variety of music courses - band, orchestra, chapel choir and music history and theory.

In 1982, Dr. Clothier was named Director of The Shaw Center, a position he held for eighteen years. In this capacity, Dr. Clothier has been instrumental in selecting visiting acts for Graceland's Concert/Lecture series, which was renamed the Performing Arts Series in 1996.

In the fall of 1996, Dr. Clothier was named as the first person to occupy the Dwight and Esther Vredenburg Endowed Chair in Music.

Dick is a High Priest in the Community of Christ Church. After he retired from teaching, Dick has researched the stories of the hymns and hymn-writers of the church, led hymn festivals based upon his work and published a book, A Heritage of Hymns, which is still available through Herald House.

Dick and Louita Goode (daugher of former Graceland chemistry professor Delmar Goode) met in 1953 in the Graceland College Orchestra. Louita conducted choral groups which included the Lamoni Congregational Choir and the Graceland Chapel Choir. She is a published composer of choral music. Louita's pioneer work as a teacher of the Suzuki method for stringed instruments in Lamoni has taken her throughout the United States and internationally as a teacher trainer. Upon retirement, Louita earned a degree in pastoral care and counseling from the Saint Paul School of Theology, Kansas City. She served as a resident chaplain at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, as co-pastor of the Lamoni congregation, and as an Evangelist in the Community of Christ Church.

The Clothiers continue to reside in Lamoni and are the parents of two children, Kathi Angerouth and David Clothier.

SOURCES:

Edwards, Paul M. "The Hilltop Where. . . . An Informal History of Graceland College." p. 137. Venture Foundation. Lamoni IA. 1972.

Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” p. 400. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

cofchrist-brushcreek-missioncenter.org/HQBios/Clothier-D&L.htm

Photographs courtesy of Graceland University and Community of Christ Church

Transcriptions and compilation by Sharon R Becker, January of 2016

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