Carol HOCHBAUM

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HOCHBAUM: Carol Ann Louise Hochbaum (nee Bowie). March 26, 1940- May 31, 2009. Retired band leader, “Die Musik Meisters”,Carol Hochbaum Music Services, Prairie Rose Productions, and retired band director, Beautiful Plains School Division, Lake Shore School Division, passed away on May 31st, 2009 at the age of sixty nine years. She was predeceased by her parents, Cyril and Hazel Bowie and several aunts and uncles. Survived by husband Albert, his children Jo-Anne (Ian, grandchildren Liam and Anna) and Molly and Susan, brother Kevin (Dawn and niece Erin and nephew Sean) Aunt Ethel Schneider of Neepawa, Manitoba, along with several cousins and many friends across the province. Born March 26th, 1940 in Souris, Manitoba, the daughter of Hazel and Cyril Bowie, her love of music began at a very early age. She was a self-taught pianist and started playing with the Souris Playboys when she was only 13 years old. She began to study trumpet in her early twenties with Ted Good Music in Brandon. There began her career as a music teacher and they traveled for years to rural schools establishing and directing school band programs. She furthered her music education at Brandon University and in 1974 accepted a position as a music band director with the Beautiful Plains School Division in Neepawa. All during this time she continued to play with dance bands – “The Esquires” from Brandon and the “Variatones” from Neepawa. In the early ‘70’s after returning from a trip to the Kitchener – Waterloo Oktoberfest she formed her own band called “Die Musik Meisters” which played German music at many events throughout Manitoba. Many of the arrangements the band played were written by Carol. In 1975 she was able to take the band all the way to Ontario to play at the Kitchener – Waterloo Oktoberfest, the largest event of its kind in Canada. In 1977, Carol met Albert Hochbaum who became the love of her life. They were married in 1980. After moves to Killarney, Ashern and Brandon, they moved back to Ashern in 1996. During that time Carol had accepted a position with the Lakeshore School Division directing school and community band programs in Ashern, Eriksdale, Lundar, Inwood and Fisher Branch from 1983 to 1995. While music was Carol’s passion, she also enjoyed fishing and camping trips, grouse hunting and cross country skiing. Carol and Al often traveled to their favorite trout fishing spot in Clear Water Lake,The Pas, beginning on their honeymoon and then visiting every July after that. Carol loved the wilderness area to the north east of Ashern, a place where she could listen to the elk bugle in the fall or hear the wolves howl. Carol enjoyed visits with all of her family. She was very proud of the musical legacy she has passed on to her family. A celebration of Carol's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 5, 2009 at the Ashern Centennial Hall with Melanie Kauppila officiating. Service will conclude at the hall and an interment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Manitoba Division, 100 - 1465 Buffalo Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 1L8 or the Ashern School Band Fund c/o Jennifer Bjornson, Ashern Central School, P.O. Box 1200, Ashern, Manitoba, R0C 0E0. The family would like to thank the Home Care staff, the Pioneer Manor staff, the Lakeshore General Hospital and Arnason Funeral Home. Thank you to all who knew, helped and loved Carol. Arrangements by Arnason Funeral Home, Ashern Lundar 768-2072, 1-866-323-3593.

As published in Brandon Sun on Jun 03, 2009