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Show Albert N. Tollestrup ' Dies Following Year's Illness Albert Nephl Tollestrup, 78, prominent prom-inent in teaching and musical circles cir-cles of southern Utah for many .rars. died Sunday, following an illness of about a year. Funeral services were held in the Second Ward chapel Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Tollestrup was born in Denmark Den-mark on June 9, 1865, a son of Neils Christinn (Chrlstensen) and Karen Kar-en Christensen Tollestrup. He came to America with his parents who were converts to the L. D. S. church, and lived with them at Gunnison, Utah, where he received his elementary school education. Destined to become prominent in education circles of Utah he began his teaching career at the age of 17 years. - He filled an L. D. S. Mission to Denmark in 1880-88, and after returning re-turning attended the Brigham Coung University. Upon his graduation gradu-ation he was sent to open an academy in Morgan, Utah, where he remained for three years, before be-fore being called to Ogden as head of the Weber College. After two yrars he returned to Gunnison, and then went to Fountain Green as Principal of the school there. He came to Cedar City in 1904 to take charge of the music department de-partment of the Branch Normal School, now the Branch Agricultural Agricul-tural College, and remained in that position for fifteen years. Wlille head of the college music department he became Cedar City's leading musician, and had a tremendous tre-mendous influence on the music appreciation end training of Cedar City people. He brought the first grand piano into Cedar City, and Introduced seme of the first band and orchestra instruments ever used here. The first opera ever presented in Cedar City, the oira 'Esther', was presented under his direction. After leaving the Branch College he devoted most of his time In the musical field to teaching teach-ing piano. He was very active In the field of religion, serving for many years os a Sunday school teacher, conducting con-ducting a book of Mormon Study Group for the Relief Society for many years, was teacher in the Seventies' Quorum, and was class leader of a High Priests' Quorum until his death. He also served as a teacher at the beginning of the Genealogical work in Cedar City. He married Dructlla Ann Higham In Muntl Temple in October, 1889. Surviving are the following soni and daughters: Albert Virgil Tollestrup, Tol-lestrup, Salt Lake City; Joseph Pratt Tollestrup, Los Angeles; Alda Tollestrup. Los Angeles; Mrs. Ruth Winters. Redmond. California ; Wanda and Addison Tollestrup and Mrs. Esther T. Perry, Cedar City. AIm) surviving ore eleven grandchildren. grand-children. ' |