David Paul Doerksen

February 2, 1933 – December 20, 2024

David Paul Doerksen, 91, a life-long music educator and Oregonian, passed away peacefully in Albany on December 20, 2024. Born on February 2, 1933 in Salem to Ben and Sarah Doerksen (Friesen), he was the oldest of three children. He is survived by Sandra, his beloved wife of 54 years; his children Debora, Kathryn, and Paul (Renée) from a previous marriage; his grandchildren Bryce (Jaclyn), Gabriel, and Mackenzie; and his brother James (Marjorie) and sister JoAnne (Rick).

David grew up in Salem and graduated from high school at Salem Academy, where he excelled in extracurricular football, basketball, and baseball and served as student body president. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Willamette University in 1956, his Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California in 1969, and his Doctor of Musical Arts (Music Education) degree from the University of Oregon in 1972.

At the beginning of his career, David taught music in Joseph public schools before being drafted into the Army. While stationed in Kansas, he played trumpet in the US Army Band and in local dance bands. Following his honorary military discharge, David resumed teaching in Oregon at McMinnville Junior High School. He returned to Salem to work at Wiltsey-Weathers Music while completing his Master's degree. His doctoral studies included nine months of lectures and classes in Germany, and concerts and travels across Europe with a cohort of students and their spouses. David and Sandra experienced this time in Germany together as newlyweds. For his dissertation, David developed "Tempus 1," a portable device designed to provide electronic rhythmic instruction in the classroom. Upon completion of his postgraduate education, he served as Supervisor of Music for the Salem-Keizer School District, and during this period he co-founded the Salem Concert Band. In 1983 David joined the School of Music faculty at the University of Oregon, where he taught undergraduate and graduate classes in music education and supervised graduate students in teacher training and the dissertation process.

In 1992, David was presented with the Oregon Music Educators Appreciation Award and cited specifically for his work in music teacher evaluation. He developed job descriptions for music teachers while working as a music administrator, and his Qualifying Exams for Student Teaching were used at the University of Oregon for many years. His book, A Guide to Evaluating Teachers of Music Performance Groups, was published in 1990. Other honors include the Northwest Music Educator of the Year Award in 1990 from the National Federation of State High School Associations, and the 1989 Alumni Citation Award from Willamette University. He retired from teaching in 1999.

David continued to pursue his many interests in music, travel, reading, history, and genealogy during his retirement. In 1999, he visited Ukraine on a guided tour, visiting over 60 of his family's ancestral Mennonite villages. He and Sandra traveled many times overseas, including St. Petersburg and Istanbul. Closer to home they explored the historical Oregon Trail, the Oregon Coast, and drove to California for vocal and piano recitals and to New Mexico for the Santa Fe Opera. At home in Eugene, he and Sandra were long-time attendees of the Prefontaine Classic and Olympic Track and Field trials at Hayward Field, as well as the Oregon Bach Festival from its earliest days.

David was a reliable hitter and catcher on his senior-league softball team, and he was equally happy at the keyboard picking apart a Bach fugue. He was a constant reader and in recent years carefully curated a list of 100 books on religion, while keeping up with bestselling titles on history, economics, politics, and English usage. House guests learned to expect an occasional spelling or geography test, along with a slice of his wonderful homemade apple pie and a perfect cup of coffee. Gifted with an expansive, curious, and incisive intellect, he shared countless discoveries–books, recipes, and CDs–with friends and family. Together, David and Sandra offered hospitality to friends and family and were known for their warmth and generosity.

David's marriage to Sandra was a deeply loving and devoted partnership that blessed their family, friends, and colleagues. He loved her unconditionally. David spent his final years with Sandra at Mennonite Village in Albany and his family is grateful for the skilled and compassionate care given to him by the staff.

In lieu of flowers, donations in David's memory can be made to the Mennonite Central Committee: Ukraine Crisis Response (MCC.org/donate).

A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 1, 2025, in the Chapel at Mennonite Village, 5353 Columbus St. SE in Albany, Oregon, at 1:00 p.m.