Kathleen Armstrong Thomerson, 1934-2025; Music Instructor
Kathleen Armstrong Thomerson, a former Southern Illinois University Edwardsville faculty member in the Department of Music, died Monday, April 7 in Austin, Texas. She was 91.
Born Feb. 18, 1934, in Jackson, Tenn., Thomerson was a gifted organist and respected educator. Thomerson taught organ in the Department of Music during the late 1980s and 1990s, sharing her deep knowledge of hymnal and classical music. She also served on the faculty of the St. Louis Conservatory and held a long tenure as organist and director of music at University United Methodist Church in St. Louis.
A member of the American Guild of Organists, Thomerson earned both the Fellow and Choirmaster certifications and chaired the organization’s committee on professional certifications.
Her legacy as a composer and writer continues to resonate across musical and spiritual communities. Her hymn, “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light,” and its accompanying tune, “Houston,” have been included in hymnals across the United States and internationally. In addition to numerous published compositions and recordings, Thomerson authored a book, “Jean Langlais: A Bio-Bibliography.”
She is survived by her son, Eric of Austin, Texas; daughter, Rachel Miller and her husband, Richard, of Arlington Heights, Ill.; grandson, Mason Miller of Tempe, Ariz.; and brother, Boyd Armstrong of Houston, Texas.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 22, at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 3011 E. 8th St., Austin, Texas.
Read her full obituary on legacy.com.
PHOTO: Thomerson
