Elaine S. Dykstra

Dr. Elaine S. Dykstra died peacefully at home while surrounded by her family on June 19, 2011. Dr. Dykstra was born Ruth Elaine Sawyer in 1945 to parents Roy Franklin Sawyer and Mary Ruth Sawyer, who lived in Iowa Park, Texas. She has resided in Austin since 1967 and has been broadly active in the classical and church music activities of the city until her death. Elaine was a woman of extraordinary musical talent. At the age of 12 she became pianist for an adult Sunday School class at the First Methodist Church in Iowa Park. At 15, she took the position of organist at the First Presbyterian Church of Iowa Park, where she met her lifelong partner, Jerry Dykstra.

While attending Iowa Park’s W.F. George High School, Elaine was in the marching band, concert band, and was voted Band Queen. Elaine attended Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls where she received the Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance, training under Dr. Nita Akin. During the time of her studies at Midwestern, she and Jerry were married. Following graduation, she followed Jerry to Austin where he completed engineering degrees at the University of Texas.

In Austin, Elaine earned the Master of Music degree (organ performance) studying with Dr. E. W. Doty, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree (organ performance) under the guidance of her mentor and friend Dr. Frank Speller, both at the University of Texas.

During her more than 40 years in Austin, Elaine has been organist at St. David’s Episcopal Church, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, University Presbyterian Church, and Tarrytown United Methodist Church. She was long-time accompanist for various Austin choral groups, including the Austin Handel-Haydn Society, Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble, and the Texas Choral Consort. She often played with various other choral, early music, orchestral, and chamber music groups including performances at Round Top, the Victoria Bach Festival, and recently with the Austin Bach Ensemble. She was adept at the piano, pipe organ, and the harpsichord, and was known for solo organ and harpsichord concerts, as well as group performances, and as an accompanist.

Dr. Dykstra frequently played organ concerts and recitals in the Austin area and around Texas. She also played throughout the U.S. and at numerous cathedrals and other venues in Europe. Some favorite organs she played were at Trinity Church, Boston; Grace Cathedral, San Francisco; King’s Chapel, Boston; St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NYC; St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice; St. Philips Cathedral, Atlanta; Salzburg Cathedral (Mozart’s church); Truro Cathedral, Cornwall; Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford; Oxford Town Hall; Bristol Cathedral; St. Mary’s Redcliffe, Bristol; Southwark Cathedral, London; St. Thomas Church, Fifth Ave., NYC; and Bates Recital Hall, UT Austin.

She was author of the scholarly book “Deducing the Original Sounds of Bach’s Organ Works: An Historical Account of the Musical Capabilities of the Organs That Bach Knew.” She was composer of several organ pieces including a collection of organ chorales based on Advent and Christmas hymn tunes entitled “Gabriel’s Message: Carols for the Season.” Elaine also wrote numerous alternate harmonizations for well-known hymn tunes.

Elaine was an active participant and leader in several professional groups and associations including the Anglican Association of Musicians, the American Guild of Organists (the Austin chapter as well as regional and national activities), Austin’s Committee for the Advocacy of the Pipe Organ, and the Southeast Historical Keyboard Society.

Despite her busy professional career, Elaine was always a loving wife, devoted and caring mother, and a humble servant of God. She is loved by her family and will be missed, but we take great comfort in knowing that she now accompanies a choir of angels.

Elaine is survived by her husband of nearly 46 years, Jerry Dykstra, and her son Mark Dykstra, both of Austin; by her sisters Linda Ann Jones of Justin, Texas and Glenda Nan Gonzalez of Euless, Texas and by her brother Louis Sawyer of Lubbock, Texas as well as by numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, and nieces scattered throughout North Texas. Elaine was predeceased by her son Paul, but survived by Paul’s wife, Hope Mulvihill, two grandchildren Ali and Cody Dykstra, and a great granddaughter Dahlyla Espinosa, all of New Braunfels, Texas.

A memorial service is being held at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, at the corner of Windsor and Exposition in Austin, at 3:00 pm Monday, June 27, 2011, with a reception for greeting the family following at the Fellowship Hall at Tarrytown United Methodist Church, 2601 Exposition, just a few blocks away. The Reverend Morgan Allen, Rector at Good Shepherd, will officiate at the memorial service. All who would like to celebrate Elaine’s life and musical contributions to Austin and to the world are invited.

The family is grateful for the exemplary compassion and care provided by Dr. Beth Hellerstedt and all the other wonderful and caring people of Texas Oncology and for the dedication and kindness of the people at Hospice Austin.

In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that memorial donations, may be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 5005 LBJ Freeway Suite 250, Dallas, TX 75244 or to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 60 East 56th Street - 8th Floor, New York, NY 10022 or to another breast cancer research foundation of your choice.