Elna Claire Valine

Valine, Elna Claire, June 30, 1930 - August 21, 2014. Elna Claire Valine was born to Theodore and Frances Valine June 30, 1930, in Hutchinson, KS and departed this life on August 21, 2014. Elna Claire grew up in Hutchinson in a musical family. She started piano lessons with her mother at 5 years of age and started violin at age 9 in the Hutchinson public school instrumental music program. She was a charter member of the Wichita Youth Symphony in 1947. With the encouragement of F. Robert Hollowell, her private violin teacher, she enrolled at Wichita University and became a student of David Robertson. During her freshman year she was playing in four orchestras - The Hutchinson Symphony, The Wichita Symphony, The Wichita University Orchestra, and The Wichita Youth Symphony. In her sophomore year at Wichita University she became a student of James Ceasar with whom she studied throughout undergraduate and graduate schools. She was initiated into Phi Pi Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon, International Professional Music Sorority, on December 9, 1949. Elna Claire won the Naftzger Instrumental Award in 1950 and the Naftzger Young Artist Award in 1951 and soloed with The Wichita Symphony. Elna Claire received a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1952, graduating Magna Cum Laude. In the summer of 1953 she studied with Szymon Goldberg at Aspen Music School in Colorado. She finished her Master of Music Education degree in 1956 from Wichita University. Elnas Wichita Public School music career began immediately after graduation from Wichita University. She retired from the Wichita Public Schools in 1985 after 33 years of teaching elementary strings, but continued teaching private violin students. Elna Claire retired from teaching private violin lessons in 2005. Her Wichita Symphony career was continuous for 45 years from 1948 to 1993. For forty-two years she served as Principal of the Second Violin Section. Elna also conducted the Woodland United Methodist Girls Chapel Choir from 1959 to1969. In November 2009, Elna Claire received the Mu Phi Epsilon Diamond Triangle Award for 60 years as a loyal fraternity member. She was active in the Wichita Alumni Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon until her illness. She was on the board of The Wichita Musical Club and was a member of the Thursday Afternoon Music Club. Elna leaves behind cousins, Cleo Mowbray (Bellingham, WA), Cleta Schneider (New Cambria, KS), Virgil Mowbray (Ardmore, OK), Floyd Mowbray (South Haven, KS), and Erma Mowbray (McPherson, KS), Ruth Ann Leaf (Hutchinson) and many, many friends. Funeral Service will be at 1:30 P.M., Monday, August 25, 2014, at University United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at 4:00 P.M., at Salemsborg Lutheran Cemetery, Smolan, KS. Memorials may be made in the name of Elna Claire Valine to Wichita Symphony Orchestra, 225 W. Douglas Ave., #207, Wichita, KS 67202-3181 or Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, 313 S. Market St, Wichita, KS 67202. Downing Lahey East Mortuary.