Joe Evan Burt's Obituary
Joe Evan Burt (Joseph), 82, passed from this world peacefully on December 30, 2022. A long-time resident of Chicago, Illinois, he had resided in Dallas, Texas for the past eight years.
Born on June 13, 1940 in Quitman, Mississippi to Mark and Delene Burt, the family moved to Sylacauga, Alabama while Joe was a young child. Sylacauga, nestled in the Coosa River Valley, would be his hometown.
The love of music, a gift from his mother, framed Joe’s life. Music would become more than a passion for him. As an award-winning and celebrated composer, musician, vocalist and choral director, it would be his life-long study, pursuit and devotion. Among his accolades, Joe was a multi-recipient of the William T. Faricy Award for Music Composition at Northwestern University, a recipient of the National Endowment Award and The Bradley University Prize in Contemporary Music, an honoree of the Southern Composers League and a Nominee for the Pulitzer Prize in Music Composition.
From a young age, God’s calling was apparent in Joe’s life. At the age of 13, he stepped into his first role as Music Director at Oldfield Baptist Church in Sylacauga. Over his lifetime, he served in church music ministry within Baptist, Presbyterian and United Church of Christ Churches in Alabama, Florida and the greater Chicago area. In addition to this, for many years, Joe led the Choir at Great Lakes Naval Training Center as well as the Northwest Indiana Symphony Chorus. Joe’s original works have been performed by the New Orleans Philharmonic Symphony, Mobile Symphony, Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, The Bradley University Chorale, Northwest Indiana Symphony Chorus and the Midwestern Composers Consortium, among others.
His final installation at Epiphany United Church of Christ as Music Director would be where he left his indelible mark. During his 16 years here he found a chosen family and a community full of deep and lasting friendship. Through Epiphany, Joe dedicated years of service to the community of Oradea, Romania where he traveled often and created The Homework Project to support local children after school.
In his spare time, when Joe was not behind the keys of a piano or organ, he was sailing. His love of sailing was contagious, and the experience was something he relished sharing with others.
Joe is preceded in death by his father Mark Evan Burt and mother Bertie Delene Minor Burt. He is survived by his son John (Heather); daughter Anne-Michael Eberhardt (David); grandchildren Fletcher, Scout and Grace; Sister Jean Burt LaFazia (Ed); nephew Adam Patterson and grandnieces and grandnephew Alicia, Kailyn and Adam Jr.
There will be two celebration of life services to honor Joe’s life:
Saturday, February 18, 2023 Saturday, June 3, 2023
Weogufka Family Worship Center Epiphany United Church of Christ
20771 Coosa County Road 29 2008 West Bradley Place
Weogufka, AL 35183 Chicago, IL 60618
Visitation: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Service: 2:00pm
Service: 1:00pm
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