Lorin F. Wheelwright
Lorin Farrar Wheelwright was a publisher, hymnwriter, composer, organist, musical instructor, and educator.
He was born on December 20, 1909, to David S. Wheelwright and Valborg Rasmussen. His older brother D. Sterling Wheelwright was one of his early music teachers. He was young when he was a Sunday School pianist and ward choir pianist in Ogden, Utah.
Wheelwright studied music at the McCune School of Music. He also studied under Edward P. Kimball and Alexander Schreiner at the University of Utah. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and a PhD from Columbia University.
He was the head of music education for the Salt Lake Public Schools, taught at Oswego Teachers College in New York, and was a professor at the Branch Agricultural College (now Southern Utah University). For a time he served as the head of the Coordinating Council of Higher Education of Utah. In 1967, Wheelwright became dean of the Brigham Young University College of Fine Arts and Communications.
He wrote the words and music for three hymns that were included in the 1985 Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: “O Love That Glorifies the Son” (#295), “Help Me Teach With Inspiration” (#281), and “Oh, May My Soul Commune with Thee” (#123). His hymn “Come, All Ye Saints and Sing His Praise” appeared in previous Church hymnals.
He also wrote “Mother I Love You,” included in the Primary Children’s Songbook.
Wheelwright wrote the words and music of the two-part Christmas anthem "Star Bright" (Estrella de Luz) with words in English and Spanish, and accompaniment for guitar and keyboard.
From 1956 until at least 1971 Wheelwright served as a member of the Sunday School general board of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 13 years. He also served for a time as associate editor of The Instructor, the Church's Sunday School magazine from 1956 until the consolidation of church magazines in 1971.
Wheelwright was involved in printing. He founded Pioneer Music Press in 1938. He remained president of that press until 1978. He was also the founding president of the Printing Industries of Utah in 1950. He also cofounded Wheelwright Lithography Company with his brother Max Wheelwright in 1956 and Wheelwright Press, Inc. in 1958. Wheelwright Press was mainly involved in publishing college and high school year books. Wheelwright served as president of the National Yearbook Association for some of the 1960s. In 2010 he was inducted into the Utah Printers Hall of Fame. He was noted as an innovator in refining the use of lithography and color.[1]
He and his wife, Ila Eugenia Spilsbury, were the parents of four children. He died on November 4, 1987.
