Childs, Elliot Wetherbee "Lee"
Childs, Elliot Wetherbee "Lee", of Yarmouth Port died
unexpectedly on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at the Cape Cod Hospital. He was the adored husband of JoAnne L. (Hajko) Childs for 37 years. Lee was predeceased by his parents, Elliot and Helen Childs of Wellesley and Orleans and his loving son, Adam Wetherbee Childs.
Lee was born in Wellesley, MA on September 7, 1946 and graduated from Wellesley High School in 1964. He attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and graduated from The Berklee College of Music in Boston.
His long time musical partner, Kurt Wenzel, said Lee was a genius on all three horns: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and the clarinet. Lee was a master at playing Progressive and Dixie Land Jazz, The Blues, and BeeBop. His love of music encompassed his entire life and gave much joy to all who heard him play. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him and the music community of Cape Cod and New England will have suffered a great loss.
At age eight Lee played the tenor sax and the clarinet. By the time he was twelve he had formed his first Dixie Land Band. Lee worked with many local favorites including Marie Marcus, Lou Columbo and Buddy Hackett. He spent time with such notables as Billy Butterfield and Earl “Fatha” Hines.
For the past thirty years, Lee has played all over New England with long standing engagements at The Top of the Hub in Boston, Isaac’s in Plymouth and Alberto’s in Hyannis. He established the HyLine Dixie Land Jazz Cruise, delighting music lovers every summer in Onset for thirty -one years. Lee’s most current engagements were at Embargo in Hyannis and Del Mar in Chatham.
Living on Cape Cod for the past forty years provided him with many special interests which included playing tennis at the Mid-Cape Racquet Club, collecting insulators from all over the country, and walking his beloved golden retrievers on the beach. There were four golden retrievers: Boston and the late Miles, Buddy and Mingo.
Lee also had an amazing train collection that he loved sharing with family and friends, but especially with three year old Jordan B. Goff. Lee spent considerable time biking and fishing with his son, Adam, on the Cape Cod Canal. He was an avid New England sports fan and especially loved the Boston Celtics and Red Sox and was usually seen wearing either a Celtics or Red Sox baseball cap.
He enjoyed spending time in his garden at home and loved the traditional ski trips with his family to Lake Placid, NY where he would go exploring for antiques and musical instruments.
At times a man of few words, Lee’s quiet demeanor, wry sense of humor and unconditional love spoke volumes. We will forever hear his music and feel his love.
In addition to his wife, JoAnne, he is survived by his cousins, Dr. Frank
“Skip” Wetherbee , Susan Cail and numerous other cousins, as well as Claire French and Jordan B. Goff of East Rochester, NY for whom there was a special place in his heart.
Friends and relatives may call at the Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Ave., South Yarmouth, MA from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, 2012. A memorial service will be planned at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Lee’s memory may be made to The Adam W. Childs Memorial Scholarship Fund, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Office of Development, 116 Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 12463.
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unexpectedly on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at the Cape Cod Hospital. He was the adored husband of JoAnne L. (Hajko) Childs for 37 years. Lee was predeceased by his parents, Elliot and Helen Childs of Wellesley and Orleans and his loving son, Adam Wetherbee Childs.
Lee was born in Wellesley, MA on September 7, 1946 and graduated from Wellesley High School in 1964. He attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and graduated from The Berklee College of Music in Boston.
His long time musical partner, Kurt Wenzel, said Lee was a genius on all three horns: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and the clarinet. Lee was a master at playing Progressive and Dixie Land Jazz, The Blues, and BeeBop. His love of music encompassed his entire life and gave much joy to all who heard him play. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him and the music community of Cape Cod and New England will have suffered a great loss.
At age eight Lee played the tenor sax and the clarinet. By the time he was twelve he had formed his first Dixie Land Band. Lee worked with many local favorites including Marie Marcus, Lou Columbo and Buddy Hackett. He spent time with such notables as Billy Butterfield and Earl “Fatha” Hines.
For the past thirty years, Lee has played all over New England with long standing engagements at The Top of the Hub in Boston, Isaac’s in Plymouth and Alberto’s in Hyannis. He established the HyLine Dixie Land Jazz Cruise, delighting music lovers every summer in Onset for thirty -one years. Lee’s most current engagements were at Embargo in Hyannis and Del Mar in Chatham.
Living on Cape Cod for the past forty years provided him with many special interests which included playing tennis at the Mid-Cape Racquet Club, collecting insulators from all over the country, and walking his beloved golden retrievers on the beach. There were four golden retrievers: Boston and the late Miles, Buddy and Mingo.
Lee also had an amazing train collection that he loved sharing with family and friends, but especially with three year old Jordan B. Goff. Lee spent considerable time biking and fishing with his son, Adam, on the Cape Cod Canal. He was an avid New England sports fan and especially loved the Boston Celtics and Red Sox and was usually seen wearing either a Celtics or Red Sox baseball cap.
He enjoyed spending time in his garden at home and loved the traditional ski trips with his family to Lake Placid, NY where he would go exploring for antiques and musical instruments.
At times a man of few words, Lee’s quiet demeanor, wry sense of humor and unconditional love spoke volumes. We will forever hear his music and feel his love.
In addition to his wife, JoAnne, he is survived by his cousins, Dr. Frank
“Skip” Wetherbee , Susan Cail and numerous other cousins, as well as Claire French and Jordan B. Goff of East Rochester, NY for whom there was a special place in his heart.
Friends and relatives may call at the Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Ave., South Yarmouth, MA from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, 2012. A memorial service will be planned at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Lee’s memory may be made to The Adam W. Childs Memorial Scholarship Fund, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Office of Development, 116 Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 12463.
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