Lloyd Walworth: Leaving a Legacy of Music

Lloyd Walworth, ('69), grew up steeped in music. He sang in church choirs and played the baritone horn in his high school band. He followed his brother David, '68, to Western where both completed their degrees in music education, and, after receiving a master's degree, Lloyd started his career as a K-8 music teacher.

When he moved his family to The Dalles, Oregon, Lloyd quickly became known as a highly respected musician, teacher, and generous community member. He founded and led a community choir and served as choir director for St. Paul's Episcopal Church for over 30 years. After retiring from teaching, he established the Walworth Music Foundation in The Dalles to support young music students. Lloyd was a fixture in his community who kept close ties with Western.

Lloyd wanted to leave a legacy at Western as well. Lloyd and his wife, Diane, worked with Western to establish a planned gift to create The Lloyd Walworth Music Performance Scholarship Endowment to support WWU music performance students. Lloyd "valued his education at Western and felt it provided a path for a very rewarding and satisfying life and professional career and he wanted to give back to the university that he felt had given him so much," Diane said.

After a brief battle with cancer, Lloyd passed away in 2018, and Diane worked to fulfill his generous intentions. The Department of Music awarded the first Walworth Scholarship in 2019 and his fund will perpetually support students who demonstrate musical performance excellence, to continue paying forward the work Lloyd started in 1969.