Visitation: No Prior Visitation
Service: SUNDAY, September 6, 2015: A Funeral
Service will be held at 3 pm at Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy., Amherst. HAMLIN – Jean S.
(nee Van Schute)
August 7, 2015, beloved wife of the late
Cyrus Hamlin; loving mother of Beverly
(Phillip) Hart, Neal (Donna Dee) Hamlin
and Wendy (Alan) Creech; dear grandmother
of eight grandchildren; greatgrandmother
of 13. No prior visitation.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday,
September 6 at 3 PM at Amherst
Community Church, 77 Washington
Hwy., Amherst, where memorials may
be made in Jean’s name. Arrangements
by the DIETRICH FUNERAL HOME,
INC., 2480 Kensington Ave., Amherst.
Online condolences may be shared at
www.TheDietrichFuneralHome.com April 20, 1920 – Aug. 7, 2015 Jean S. Hamlin, of Amherst, was a longtime piano teacher who was on the music staff of the University at Buffalo for over 30 years and served as the organist at Amherst Community Church for nearly 35 years. She died Friday in Elderwood at Williamsville. She was 95. Born in Queens, the former Jean Van Shute earned a bachelor of music degree in piano from Oberlin College, Ohio, in 1941. She became a fellow at Julliard Graduate School where, from 1941 to 1943, she studied under the tutelage of Russian emigres and celebrated classical music pedagogues Josef and Rosina Lhevinne. Mrs. Hamlin went on to serve as a vocal coach and accompanist on the faculty of Georgia State Women’s College, Valdosta, Ga., from 1943 to 1994. From there, she became a member of the faculty of the Community Music School on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo from 1953 to 1955. Mrs. Hamlin joined the staff of the music department at UB, where she served as vocal coach and accompanist with Swiss operatic baritone Heinz Rehfuss, who taught at the university. She subsequently served all of the UB voice faculty in the capacity. She also coached and accompanied both the bachelor of fine arts and the master of fine arts voice recitals at UB. She became a part-time lecturer at the school in 1973 and retired from the position in 1996. From 1961 to 1996, Mrs. Hamlin was the organist at Amherst Community Church. For over 60 years – from 1945 to 2008 – she offered private piano lessons. Mrs. Hamlin also was a longtime volunteer at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, from which she received a certificate of appreciation. She also received a certificate of special recognition from the Amherst Symphony Orchestra, of which she was a member and soloist performer. Mrs. Hamlin was a member of the American Guild of Organists, the Wednesday Morning Musicale and the Piano Teachers Forum. Her husband of 57 years, Cyrus W., who died in 1999. Her survivors include two daughters, Beverly Hart and Wendy Creech; a son, Neal; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. A memorial service has been set for 3 p.m. Sept. 6 at Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Highway, Snyder.