Please join us in honoring and remembering our brothers in harmony who have passed on and joined the chapter eternal. Their voices are missed.
Paul Leroy Huff
January 18, 1941 — December 3, 2023
Our Barbershop singing community lost an important voice with the death of Paul Huff on December 3, 2023. Paul has been a key leader, singer, and director during his past 53 years in the Barbershop Harmony Society. The Colorado Springs Chapter’s America The Beautiful Chorus mourns his passing but recalls with joy all the memorable events of his life among us.
Paul was born January 18, 1941 in Kansas City, Kansas and after completing training as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine he served in the US Army Veterinary Service with a tour in Viet Nam. After military service, Paul practiced Veterinary Medicine in Boulder before opening a Veterinary practice in Colorado Springs in 1974 and also joining the local Barbershop Chorus.
He served as Chapter President in 1977 and became the Director in 1979. Paul sang in several quartets including Gandy Dancers and Coming Attraction. After the Rockies IV quartet won the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Seniors Gold Medal in 1993, Paul stepped in when their baritone, Gerry Harris, passed away and sang many performances with them. He sang baritone and then lead with Yesterday’s Heroes who were the RMD senior’s representative to the Seniors’ International in 1999, 2000, and 2001, and placed 4th in the 2000 Senior’s International. Paul had several stints as Director in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. The consummate Barbershopper – he will be missed!
Aloysius “Al” Ernster
November 1927 — October 19, 2022
Aloysius (Al) John Ernster passed away October 19, 2022, at the age of 94. He was born in November 1927.
He attended South Dakota State University, obtaining a degree in Pharmacy. He then worked as a pharmacist for five years. In 1957 Al decided to change his career and began dental school at the University of Nebraska School of Dentistry. Al began his dental practice with the Air Force then moved his family to Colorado Springs.
A devout Catholic, Al became very involved in keeping St. Mary’s High School on solid footing during the 1980’s. Al was an avid gardener and particularly proud of his children, grand-children and his four great-grandchildren. It was well-known the Al never considered dinner over until the dessert showed up!
Al was active in his church choir for 30 years, and a member of America the Beautiful Barbershop Chorus from 1995-2018. Al was an active member singing with the Daytime Singers, a group of chapter members who performed frequently throughout the community.
Peter Chase “Pete” Tyree
October 3, 1926 — September 12, 2022
The barbershop world recently lost a giant with the passing of Pete Tyree. The America the Beautiful Chorus mourns his passing but revels in the legacy he leaves behind for barbershoppers of all ages.
Born October 3, 1926 in Ponca City, Oklahoma, Perry Chase “Pete” Tyree lived a very full and productive life. Pete was a graduate of Colorado College with a degree in Civil Engineering. After settling in Colorado Springs he established the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department and throughout his career mentored hundreds of young professionals in the construction industry.
Pete was active in barbershop singing for over 60 years. He won his first quartet gold medal in 1954 as baritone with The Orphans and appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show that year. Over the years Pete directed both the Velvet Hills ladies chorus in Colorado Springs and the America the Beautiful Chorus. In 1993, Pete sang bass with the International Senior Quartet Champions, Rockies IV.
Additional background information about Pete’s life may be found in the Spotlight section on this website.
Philip Edward Zara
August 19, 1933 — July 15, 2022
Philip (Phil) E. Zara, Lt. Col., Ret. USAF of Monument, Colorado passed away at the age of eighty-eight on July 15, 2022.
Philip was born in Chicago, Illinois on August 19th, 1933. Phil earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Omaha and then went on to earn an MBA from San Diego State University.
Phil joined the Air Force in 1953, and served in many locations in the U. S. and overseas. Phil retired from the United States Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1987.
After retiring from the Air Force, he worked for McDonnel Douglas (which later merged with The Boeing Company) as an Engineer until 2007, when upon his second retirement he relocated to Monument, CO.
In his spare time, Phil enjoyed traveling with his wife Diane and singing in the America the Beautiful Chorus. Phil loved reading or working on a challenging crossword puzzle to pass the time away.
Richard Lewis Coover
January 31, 1931 — April 1, 2022
Major Richard Lewis Coover, U.S. Air Force (Retired) was born on January 31, 1931, in Delaware, Ohio and called to his heavenly home on April 1, 2022, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was 91.
Richard enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1951 and served as an electronics instructor at Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado until entering officer candidate school, from which he graduated in 1955. Dick went on to flight training and flew a variety of aircraft during his career including the KC-135 Refueling Stratotanker during the Vietnam war. Major Coover retired from the Air Force in 1971.
In addition to his military service, Richard will be remembered for one of his greatest passions, music. As a young trumpeter, he played taps at the funerals of scores of fallen soldiers who became part of his inspiration to becoming a service member himself. Richard “Dick” Coover was a Barbershop Harmony Society member for 33 years, from 1976 to 2009. He was a member of the Heartland Harmonizers Chorus in Omaha before moving to Colorado and then was associated with the Colorado Springs Highland Harmonizers, now the America the Beautiful Chorus, and was a member of several quartets including the Crosstown Express.
He was known for his great lead voice, attended, and graduated from the Barbershop Director’s College in 1990, and received an honorary Degree of Master of Barbershop Harmony in 1996 from the Rocky Mountain District. He served as Vice-President and President of the Pikes Peak chapter and stepped in as assistant director of the chorus at different times. He was honored as Barbershopper of the Year in 1994.
Bill Curtis
January 21, 1946 — May 14, 2021
Bill’s world travels began as an Air Force brat during the Korean War. He joined the Air Force himself and served during the Vietnam era.
Bill sang lead with the America the Beautiful Chorus and was a 40-year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society. He was a Music Minister, as well as a member of the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree Council at St. Patrick Catholic Church.
As a member of Pikes Peak Plein Air Painters, he could often be found walking through nature looking for the perfect place to set up his plein air easel.
Donald Knepp
November 12, 1933 — March 28, 2021
Born on November 12, 1933 in Lewistown, PA, Don enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1953. He was the model Marine rising from the enlisted ranks and achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Don retired from active duty in 1980.
While stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 1963, he wrote and recorded several parodies of military life on “Gitmo” including “Cuba, Cuba, Is My Home,” his most famous parody.
Don Knepp joined the America the Beautiful Chorus when he moved to Colorado Springs in 2000 and served for nine years as Chapter Treasurer. He sang in a high school quartet and, along with wife Alice, sang in church choirs wherever they were stationed.
Don also sang with the Daytime Singers who represented the chorus in engagements throughout the community. He was part of the Singing Senior Social Four quartet with Pete Tyree and their wives.
Alfred “Fred” Draney
November 7, 1935 — February 15, 2020
Alfred L. Draney was born on November 7, 1935 to Donald P. Draney and Violet “Dolly” Morgando in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Fred spent his childhood in Rock Springs, Wyoming with his parents, grandparents, and younger brother, Donald. Fred graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting.
Alfred (Fred) Draney was a member of the America the Beautiful Chorus from 1997 to 2010. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Pikes Peak Chapter as Treasurer for a number of years.
Fred sang in several quartets including the Wood Avenue Four and Three Great Guys. He also was a tenor in the Daytime Singers, 9-12 retired guys who did gigs around town on weekdays in the early 2000s.