Henry Gates passed away this morning. He was a longtime conductor of bands at Usdan and the husband of beloved Junior Chorus conductor Elaine (Panik) Gates. He was also the step-father of longtime faculty member Shelly Marino, and grandfather of current faculty members Amanda Palmieri and Megan Marino. Henry was a music teacher in the Hicksville Schools when Andrew McKinley tapped him to become Usdan’s third Band Chairman and conductor of our concert bands. Henry brought his signature spirit of quality and energy to the Center, providing students with the confidence that he would guide them to memorable performances. His integrity resulted in a career-long determination to carry out Mr. McKinley’s charge - that Usdan students, whether the beginners in Band I or the high school students in Band IV, have access to the highest level of Henrys musicianship and inspiration. Henry met Elaine at Usdan and their dedication to one other became iconic. He supported Elaine’s successes at Usdan and beyond, and he attended each of her performances with pride. The Board, Staff and Faculty mourn Henry’s loss and will long remember his contributions to our students education and wellbeing.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 19:09:41 +0000
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