Rickie Hartsoe

~In Memorium of Rick Hartsoe~ Rickie Hartsoe, age 83, of Flint (formerly of Royal Oak), passed away at his home on January 25, 2025. -Background - Rick Hartsoe was born and raised in Flint, Michigan by his parents, Ira and Myrtle Hartsoe, along with two sisters, Mary Ann and Ouida. He graduated from Flint Central High School. It was at Flint Central where he began finding his interest in music as a member of the orchestra, playing violin, and participating in the choir as Student Director. His teacher, Ed German, saw his potential and encouraged him to continue his music education after high school. Rick did so by following his sister, Ouida, to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Majoring in organ performance, Rick enjoyed his studies at Moody. He participated in the Moody Chorale, met his future wife, Sylvia (also a musician), and pursued Choral Conducting. After Moody, Rick returned to Flint where he married and completed his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Oakland University (then associated with Michigan State University). Mr. Hartsoe then began teaching first in Junior High in Pontiac, MI, where he had done his student teaching under Gil Jackson. He was also involved in conducting church choirs. Rick's dad was a Baptist minister and Rick was raised in the General Baptist Church. It was through this connection that he learned that Dondero High School in Royal Oak was looking to hire a choir director. Being interested, he submitted his application and thus met with the School Principal, Bruce G. Feigner. Mr. Feigner was himself the former choir director at the school. -A Career in the Making- Mr. Hartsoe joined the Royal Oak School System music department at a time when many other music directors had been teaching for a while. Mr. MacGregor, the vocal music director, taught Girl Glee class, Girl's Choir, and Music Theory. Mr. Hartsoe replaced a retiring teacher, Dale Smith, and was assigned Girls Glee, Capella Choir, Male Chorus, and Music Appreciation. These concerts were traditional in nature and performed sacred music, folksong and spirituals, patriotic songs, showtunes, and sometimes those more whimsical in nature. The concerts also included large works such as Vivaldi Gloria and Scubert's Mass in G, with orchestra. -Things Begin to POP- It was during his interview with Mr. Feigner that he was asked about his ideas on Pop Music. Mr. Hartsoe indicated that Pop music may have its place and would take it under consideration. Under consideration he did, thus during the fall of his inaugural year he taught the first Pop Concert. It was held in November 1967, after school in the Dondero Auditorium. There was piano accompaniment only, a couple of student solos, and a few songs performed by the choir and produced by the usual school music publishers. Attendance was light, but word of mouth insured that attendance at the next Pop Concert would improve. Improve it did, and grow and grow. One year later, musical instruments such as horns, drums, and guitars were added. Through the years, keyboards and songs requiring special instrumentation like violin and flute were procured from other Dondero students. Musicians began to compete for the opportunity to play their instruments for the Pop Concert. The popularity of the Pop Concert grew to such demand that the concert was moved to the weekends with multiple afternoon and night performances. Pop Concert began to take on a life of its own. As Google and YouTube grew, so did access to the Dondero Pop Concerts. It took on a life of its own. It ended when Mr. Hartsoe retired in 2006 and Dondero closed. -Adventures- In the late 70s, the Hartsoe family purchased an RV and began traveling during Rick's summer off. The most memorable trip for Rick was the family's climb of Half Dome. He talked about that experience more than any other. After his retirement, we began our travel log of new places to explore. We managed to get from Vancouver to Prince Edward Island, stopping on the way back to get married at Niagara Falls, USA. We managed to squeeze into the Florida Keys and all the way across to California for the Rose Bowl Parade . We managed to find many excellent adventures such as river boat cruises, excursion trains, and old town squares to explore, finding a few soda fountains along our way. Waterfalls and courthouses were a few more places that piqued our interest, especially those used in old movies such as ANATOMY OF A MURDER (filmed in the U.P. of Michigan) and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (filmed in Montgomery, AL). Traveling through the south, we just had to tour the museum of costumes from Gone with the Wind and see the house used as the inspiration for the O'Hara Plantation. There's so much more to tell, but as Rick grew older, he eventually had to give up the keys to the RV. He was 82 years old. I have left out a million things. Let's just say, he had joy, he had fun, and he had seasons in the sun. Along with a successful career and life that he can be most proud. He was loved and admired and he changed lives for the better for hundreds of Dondero students. His family and my family loved him. And I will always love him. ~ Lovingly submitted by Donna~ Rick will be remembered as the beloved husband of Donna Vandermark. Loving father of Carla Likich of Michigan, Brad (Anna Szkudlarek) Hartsoe of Gloucester, UK; and step-father of Carole (Michael) Keller of Bourbonnais, Illinois. Proud grandfather of Ethan and Julia Hartsoe; and step-grandfather of Olivia Bray, Owen Bray, Lilly Keller, and Conner Keller. Dear brother of Mary Ann (Keith) Hayward and Quida Wandalyn. Visitation for Rick will be held on Friday, February 7, from 4 - 8 p.m. at Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home, 705 W. Eleven Mile Rd. (four blocks east of Woodward), Royal Oak. Additional visitation will be held on Saturday, February 8, from 10:30 a.m. until the time of the funeral service, 11:30 a.m., at the funeral home. A graveside committal service will follow at Oakview Cemetery.

Rickie Hartsoe

November 9, 1941 - January 25, 2025