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Edith Lyman Kuether, 97, North Branford, formerly of Madison

Edith Lyman Kuether, 97, of North Branford, formerly of Madison, died with peace and grace on Jan. 19 at Evergreen Woods.  She was the wife of the late Carl A. Kuether, who predeceased her in 1996 after 57 years of marriage. Edith was born in 1915 in Columbus, Ohio, daughter of the late Dr. John Franklin and Nella (Bull) Lyman.  She studied violin from the age of 10, a student of Ann Charles and later of Earl Hopkins. As a high school student, Edith auditioned for Efrem Zimbalist. On his advice, she auditioned at Oberlin Conservatory of Music for Raymond Cerf and Frank Shaw and was given a scholarship to their conservatory.

Edith graduated from Oberlin Conservatory in 1937 with a bachelor of music degree. In 1939, she married Carl A. Kuether and together they moved to Washington, D.C. where he earned his PhD.

Life together took them many places: Cleveland, Seattle, Indianapolis, Youngstown, Ohio, Chevy Chase, Maryland, and finally to Madison to be near family. In each home, Edith’s talent and training opened doors as a violinist performing with their local orchestra. Her professional positions included Community Concerts in Indianapolis, Department of Child Welfare for Marion County, Indianapolis, District Director of the Camp Fire Girls, Inc. in Youngstown, Ohio, violin teacher at the Ellsworth Music Studios in Bethesda, Maryland, the first violin with the National Ballet Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., and her most cherished and delightful experience of travelling the United States as a first violin section member of the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Arthur Fielder during their 1970 Tour.

In 1973, following several trips to England and Scotland, Edith wrote and published (by Doubleday) a mystery novel set in Scotland, Headless Beings.

Edith was a foster parent to an AFS student, a Cub Scout Den mother, a PTA member, the president of the Friday Morning Music Club in Washington, D.C., chairman of the Arts Club in Washington, and founder and president of the Lyman Bathchair Company. She was well known throughout the fine arts community until her retirement. As a superbly trained violinist, she played in many orchestras and taught violin to hundreds of students who now carry on her legacy.

Edith will be remembered for sharing her love of music, her wry sense of humor and wit, her depth of thinking, and her devotion to her family.

She is survived by two children, Christian Lyman Kuether and his wife Susan of Houston, Texas, and Elizabeth Kuether Piner and her husband Harry of Madison; four grandchildren, Joel Myers of Madison, Kristin Andrews her husband Paul of Clinton, Marta Sauer of Elskop, Germany, and Virginia Osborne of Houston, Texas; and six great-grandchildren, William and John Andrews of Connecticut, Anika Sauer of Germany, and Christine and Elena Osborne of Houston, Texas.  She was predeceased by her grandson Carl Adams Kuether of Houston, Texas. 

A family memorial service and burial is planned for later this year.  Contributions in her memory may be made to the Madison Historical Society or to the Scranton Memorial Library.