Judith Patterson Edberg

Judith Patterson Edberg passed away at age 86 on July 19, 2019 at Mill Pond Health Campus in Greencastle from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease.

She was born April 13, 1933 at her parent’s home in Royal Oak, Mich.

The funeral service will be held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 520 E. Seminary St., Greencastle, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 31, followed by a reception.

A concert in her memory will be held that evening at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Greencastle Summer Music Festival, on which she was a frequent performer, in Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Simpson St., Greencastle.

Judith was a concert pianist as well as professor of music and director of keyboard studies at the University of Tampa (1972-2006), serving terms as the chair of the music department, interim director of the division of fine arts and as director of the pre-college music program.

She played many concerts throughout the country, including with her son, cellist Eric Edberg, and former daughter-in-law Allison Edberg Nyquist.

She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Wayne State University in Detroit, studied for a summer with Lazarre Levy in Paris and, with a faculty development grant from the University of Tampa, worked with Leon Fleisher on piano repertoire for the left hand alone, a mutual specialty.

She was a lifelong member of SAI, the international music sorority; the National Guild of Piano Teachers, for whom she often served as a judge; and a board member of many organizations. She also volunteered much time developing a music education program at the University of Nicaragua in Managua, where instruments are stored in “Judy’s Room.”

She was a passionate gardener, baker and seamstress who sewed many clothes for her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by parents DeWitt and Florence Patterson, husband Hugo C. Edberg, brother Richard V. Patterson and a nephew, Russell Patterson.

She is survived by her brother James Patterson; her children Christine Elisabeth Edberg, MD, and C. Eric Edberg, D. Mus; grandchildren Peter Edberg, Kullan Edberg, Nina Balan and Anand Balan; niece Rhonda Patterson; and nephews Donald and Richard Patterson.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Parish Discretionary Fund (used to help those in need) at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 520 E. Seminary St., Greencastle, IN 46135; the Greencastle Summer Music Festival Endowment at the Putnam County Community Foundation through https://www.pcfoundation.org/donate.html (2 S. Jackson St. Greencastle IN 46135); or the Alzheimer’s Foundation at http://act.alz.org/goto/judithedberg.

Remembrances may be sent to ericedberg@gmail.com.