A Tribute to Ray Fussell

Let the Band March on!

Dr. Richard Fussell, Class of 1951, has recently contributed a significant amount of money through the Stadium Centennial Foundation, to purchase a sousaphone for the band in memory of his father, Ray Fussell, who was Stadium’s band director from 1935 until 1948. A brief background of his contribution and his father in his own words:

“If I hadn’t received a copy of the recent Castle Courier, I would not have known there was a need. My first thought was, of course let's help because I spent all three years at Stadium with a sousaphone wrapped around my neck. That was with band director, Dr. Del Jones.

My next thought was that my dad, Raymond C. Fussell, was there longer than I was (he died in 1972), so I really would like to honor him with some type of contribution. He was band director at Renton High School for 7 years before coming to Stadium in 1935, where he taught band until 1948.

My dad taught band in an era when bands had to be flexible in changing from merely putting on concerts during the year to doing both concerts and marching on the field at football games. Seeing a need, he collaborated with his brother-in-law, the band director at the University of Minnesota, in developing and designing patterns and methods of band marching. While at Stadium, he wrote one of the first practice books for the whole band, called Ensemble Drill, which is still being used today 70 years later!

He was also at the forefront of starting the women’s marching group – the Tigerannas - in 1937.

An interesting note to those who never took band at Stadium: it was a long way and a whole lot of stairs from the band room on fourth floor to the bottom of the stadium for practices!. I was co-band manager with Bruce Fox. We got to load all the instruments in the trailer every time we went somewhere.

After graduating from WSU I spent the next 40 yrs. in private veterinary practice in San Jose, Ca. I am now doing part time wildlife rehabilitation in Lynnwood, WA. My family and I are looking forward with anticipation to the old brown castle’s 100th anniversary celebration.”

Dr. Dick Fussell '51

Memories@CelebrateStadium.com

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