Henry Thompson Paine

RACINE, WISCONSIN: Henry T. Paine, 95, of Racine, Wisconsin formerly of Mason City, died Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at Lakeshore Manor, Racine. Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM Monday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City with The Rev. Warren Frelund, Deacon, officiating. Masonic Rites will precede the service and be conducted by Harding Lodge #649 A.F. & A.M. Interment will be in Elmwood St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Memorials may be directed to the Henry Paine Memorial Fund. Henry was born September 29, 1919 in Gary, Indiana the son of Edward and Genevieve (Thompson) Paine. He graduated from high school in Michigan City, Indiana and went on to attend and graduate from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois with a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and Master's of Music Degree. Henry taught instrumental music at Evanston Township High School and Haven School in Evanston. He married Ruth Hoeck August 12, 1942 in Sibley, Iowa. The Paines moved to Mason City in 1943. Henry taught instrumental music at Roosevelt Junior High and later at John Adams Junior High. In 1968, he began serving as chairman of the music department and later as chairman of the Fine Arts Division at North Iowa Area Community College. He resigned from NIACC in 1977 to enter real estate, working for Cameron Realty. Henry was also the director of the Mason City Municipal Band for 16 years. Henry was an active member of the Mason City Noon Lions Club. He joined in December of 1945, was its president in 1954 and was district governor in 1957. Henry was a member of the First United Methodist Church and Harding Masonic Lodge #649 A.F. & A.M. Henry had written a series of bassoon instruction books for Belwin-Mills Publishing Co. which are still in use today. He also wrote several original solos and arranged solos for bassoon. He also taught at Waldorf and Wartburg Colleges. Henry is survived by his wife, Ruth of Racine, Wisconsin; daughter, Prudence White of Racine, Wisconsin; son, Greg Paine of Elk River, Minnesota; 4 grandchildren: Marcus (Ann) White of Milwaukee; Suzannah (George) Fischer, of Colorado Springs; Charles (Lisa) White, Racine WI; and Heather Paine, Rochester MN; and 4 great-grandchildren: Sebastian White, Kenosha WI; and Jack, Henry, and Molly Fischer of Colorado Springs. Henry was preceded in death by his parents; a son in infancy; and son-in-law, the Rt. Rev. Roger White.