Miriam L. (Thornton) Bischoff

Apr 24, 1915 - Feb 8, 2003

Miriam L. Bischoff, 87, of Wausau died Saturday, Feb 8, 2003, at Community Health Care Wausau Hospital.

She was born April 24, 1915, in South Bend, Ind., to the late Boyd and Alma (Diehl) Thorton. After graduating from North Central College in Naperville, Ill., with a bachelor's degree in music she married the Rev. Paul Bischoff on Aug. 25, 1938. Miriam made music a major part of her life. She began her piano career at the age of 7. By age 11, she began voice lessons and starred in her first musical at the age of 14.

Throughout high school she took a leading role in a number of musical performances. She majored in voice, piano and music education at North Central College, and at that time she also studied with the renowned. Hermanus Baer of Northwestern University. As a pastor's wife she had the opportunity to channel her music talents in a number of church assignments, including roles as choir director, organist and vocal soloist. During the 1950s she made numerous appearances in the Kansas City area with the Kansas City Philharmonic and other area venues.

She studied voice there with Olga Sacerdote. In 1963 the family moved to Wausau, and Miriam ended up directing the choirs and glee clubs at Wausau Senior High School (now East High) during the year in which they were awarded the Bellamy Award. In the early '80s she was a pioneer of the Wausau Conservatory of Music in which she accompanied instrumental students. For her volunteer contributions in the Conservatory's early history, as well as many donated years of service to the music programs of the Presbyterian Church, she was honored as one of Wausau's "Volunteers of the Year" in the mid-80's. In the last decade, her musical talents focused on accompanying the vocal students of Barbara Lattimer at the Conservatory until October 2002. In addition, she went to contests and auditions accompanying some of these same students, including an audition at the Juilliard School in New York City.

She was a major inspiration and a role model for many students over the years.

She is survived by two daughters, Elaine Wade, Wausau, and Karen Efron, Vancouver, B.C.; and two granddaughters, Laura and Sarah Efron, both of Vancouver.

She is preceded in death by her husband and parents.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2003, at the First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Joy Nelson-Jeffers will officiate. Friends may call from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. today at the Helke Funeral Home, Wausau, or one hour prior to services Tuesday at the church hall.

Wausau Daily Herald Wausau, WI, 10 Feb 2003

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com and FindAGrave.com

10/11/2026 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66388717/miriam-louise-bischoff