EDDIE B. OYER

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Mr. Eddie B. Oyer, 85, of Kansas City, Mo., passed away March 17, 2015, at home with his wife Patty and sister-in-law, Vickie by his side.

Eddie’s memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 18, in the Main Sanctuary at the Independence Boulevard Christian Church, 606 Gladstone Blvd.

Eddie was born on Nov. 20, 1929, in Jacksonville, Mo., to Alfred and Jean Brooks. As an infant, he was adopted by his uncle and aunt, Clarence and Ida Mae Oyer of Kansas City, Mo. A lifelong resident of the Northeast area, he went to Gladstone Elementary School and graduated from Northeast High School in 1947. During his childhood, his adopted mother saw in him a talent for music and he was trained by his sister, Eleanor Mae and others. Eddie’s musical accomplishments during his youth were many and legendary. Eddie began performing at the age of three — a piano prodigy — sometimes in lounges and cocktail settings, that because of his tender youth, his mother had to be present. At the age of 10, owing to his music expertise, Eddie was given the extraordinary privilege of playing on the Viennese Steinway piano of the Ignacy Jan Paderewski, the renowned pianist and composer who was the former Prime Minister of Poland.

Eddie was distinguished for his brilliant smile and sequin costumes. He was known as “The Keyboard Atom Splitter” because of the meticulous way he played the “Boogie Woogie.” He played at the Muelbach Hotel, The Broadway Interlude, and at concerts for The Jenkins Music Company all across Kansas City. To great acclaim, Eddie performed at the Omar Lounge that was located in the Hotel Continental at 11th Street and Baltimore Avenue. Equally at home playing jazz, contemporary music or concertos by Rachmaninoff, many considered Eddie, a deeply humble man, a musical genius.

He continued this career until 1950, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. During this time, he was trained as a combat engineer. Eddie had admitted that his talents did not extend to the handling of explosives and was always “getting blown up” during exercises. Before his battalion was to shipped out to Korea, the base commander one day had heard Eddie playing the piano and he decided that is was more important for Eddie to entertain than to blow things up and was transferred into the Base band. It was during this time in the Army, his talent for music was being recognized and in 1954 was featured in a talent contest on the Arlene Francis television show in New York City where he took first place.

After his service in the Army, he returned home to Kansas City. His sister, Eleanor Mae, had a dance and music studio on the third floor of the house on N. Lawn Avenue. He assisted her by playing the piano during student lessons. Later on, when she had a child, Eddie took over the business and a local legend was born.

In the 60’s, Eddie purchased a small building on 5240 St. John Ave., and called it “The Eddie Oyer School of Music and Dance.” There, he remained for almost 50 years until his retirement in 2010. His thousands of students learned the gift of music, dance and pageant performance from Eddie, showering him with great respect and love. Many of his students went on to professional music careers, including performing at the Starlight Theater, local music theaters and even the Lawrence Welk Orchestra on television. Part of Eddie’s inspired education method was to have children play the piano from small wooden fully functioning pianos that could be situated on a TV tray or table. Even after retirement, Eddie continued to teach one student up to the time he passed away.

On August 25, 1967, Eddie’s life was further fulfilled when he married the love of his life, Patty Strohm. Their love story continued for 49 years. During those years, they were inseparable. Together, they shared adventures traveling around the U.S.A. and Europe. Later on, they loved taking ocean cruises, where he continued to entertain by playing the piano for his fellow passengers.

Even during his years as a teacher, he still found the time to involve himself with many civic activities. His involvement included memberships in: The Kansas City Tourist Commission, The Musicians’ Union, the Northeast Community Council (where Eddie and Patty first met), the Kansas City Chapter of the National Professional Business Association, board member of the Kansas City Museum and Chairman of the local Chautauqua Committee.

For many years, Eddie performed for the Glennon Nursing Home. He was an Elder, Sunday School teacher, and pianist at Budd Park Christian Church, as well as an Elder and pianist at the Independence Boulevard Christian Church. In 2005 the Northeast News published an extensive article on Eddie’s many accomplishments, in which they named him, the man who “Taught Northeast to Dance.”

In the spring of 2012, former student John Armato established the Eddie and Patty Oyer Scholarship at Vandercook College of Music, in Chicago. The scholarship was designed to honor “the powerful impact Mr. Oyer’s presence has had” on the life of his many students. The scholarship is a gift awarded to worthy students in both the Bachelor and Master of Music college programs.

Eddie was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, James and Michael Brooks, and a sister, Eleanor Mae Ryan. He is survived by his beloved wife of 47 years, Patty; brothers Donald Brooks (Mary Lee), A.W. Brooks, Robert Brooks (Bernie), sister Linnie DiGiamcomo (Robert); sister-in-laws Vickie Strohm and Betty West; brother-in-law Charlie Strohm (Candace) and many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

Patty Oyer wishes to thank in a special way Dr. Steiner and his staff, North Care Hospice, Rev. Lee Chiaramonte and son, Jaime; their dear next door neighbors; old time friends the Robinsons; and his buddy sister-in-law, Vickie, who deeply misses him; Patty’s sister, Betty, Joe the Barber and a special lady who helped “Mr. Eddie” – she knows who she is.

Memorial Contributions can be made to Independence Boulevard Christian Church, 606 Gladstone Blvd., or to the Eddie and Patty Oyer Scholarship Fund at Vandercook College of Music, 3140 S. Federal Street, Chicago, Ill., 60616, also at www.VanderCook.edu. Online condolences can be made to www.mcgilleysheil.com.

To read previously printed Northeast News articles about Oyer’s life, visit the link below:

Eddie Oyer Spread