A. Cutler Silliman, age 92, of Fredonia, NY, died at his Fredonia Place residence on February 13, 2015.
He was born in 1922 in Delhi, NY to the late Grover and Ada Silliman. His childhood was spent in Sayville, Long Island, NY where he was an avid sailor and longtime member of The Wet Pants Sailing Association.
Cutler was a graduate of Sayville High School and Northwestern University, and earned his PhD at The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. He interrupted his undergraduate studies to enlist in the Navy during WWII, and was an Ensign in charge of Naval Communications on a Merchant Ship bound for Marseille when VE Day was declared. Following the War, Cutler was employed as Band Director at Ashland College in Ohio. In 1949 he joined the faculty at Fredonia, which had just converted from a state Teachers College to a member of the new SUNY system. Cutler and his young family took a sabbatical leave in 1956-57 centered in Munich, Germany to study contemporary music throughout Europe, and items in the collection of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. He became a full Professor in 1966, and taught Horn, Music History, Counterpoint, and Music Theory.
During his professional career, Cutler performed with The Erie Philharmonic, and Fredonia's White Eagle Band for fun. He was also a music arranger and a published composer. Cutler served on many University Committees and gave several lectures and presentations to the American Music Association. Dr. Silliman was a member of The American Musicological Society acting as Secretary/Treasurer of the NY State Chapter, and a member of The American Library Association, serving as President of the Fredonia Chapter.
Cutler retired from SUNY Fredonia in 1985. He and his wife Kathryn (of over 60 years) joined Elderhostels traveling to Italy, Greece, Thailand, Turkey, Egypt, Chile, Spain, France, Jamaica and Mexico; exchanged homes with a couple from the Netherlands; and made frequent trips with friends to the Glimmerglass Opera Festival, the Shaw Festival, and the Stratford, Ontario Shakespeare Festival. Even in his 90s he was still attending performances at the 1890 Opera House and at the college.
He was an active member of The Westfield Literary Circle, enjoyed woodworking and sketching, served on The Fredonia Central Schools Board of Education, and was a longtime supporter of all the arts and arts organizations of Western New York. Cutler was often engaged in scholarly research of his own and was passionate about reading and education.
He is predeceased by his mother and father, Grover and Ada Silliman, his brother Grover Jr. Silliman, and his wife Kathryn Silliman. He is survived by his sister Sally Bishop, of Long Island, NY, several grand children, his daughter, Salli Silliman of Philadelphia, PA, and his three sons; Eugene and his wife Eustalia Silliman of Pittsburgh, PA, Keith and his wife Paula Silliman of Albany, NY, and Graham and his wife Leslie Silliman of Cotuit, MA.
A Memorial Gathering will be held Saturday, March 21 at 11 a.m. at The College Lodge. Donations in Cutler's memory may be made to The Darwin R. Barker Library Association located at 7 Day St., Fredonia, NY 14063 (672-8051 Attn: Joy Harper).
Obituary from the Dunkirk Observer
