TRAVERSE CITY — Tom Stokes, a music educator, vocalist, musician and director, died on August 1 and will be remembered for his ability to inspire students through music.
Stokes, 76, was well known in the region and across the state for his years of work in music education and musical theater. Born in Traverse City, he is survived by two sisters and extended family. He also had a twin brother who died about a year and a half ago.
His younger sister, Nancy Brick, said that Stokes didn’t have any children, but the thousands of kids he taught, mentored and inspired “these were his kids, all of these kids over the years.”
She said that their family described Stokes as “Mr. Holland,” in reference to the movie “Mr. Holland’s Opus” about an inspiring high school music teacher.
“He was like a Pied Piper, the kids loved him,” she said.
Stokes went off to DePauw University in 1967, earning a degree in music teacher education, and then attended Indiana University to earn his master’s degree in conducting. He returned to Traverse City in 1973 to teach in the Traverse City Area Public Schools Junior High School (located at what is now Central Grade School), where he first started singing.
Back when he attended junior high, teacher Mel Larimer asked Stokes into an empty math room to sing scales for him, Brick said. Then Larimer told him to sing scales again but louder and when finished, they moved to the auditorium and had him “really belt it out.”
“He (Larimer) said, ‘that was great.’ I expect to see you in choir on Monday morning — and that was the beginning,” Brick said.
She said that Stokes was “so excited” to be part of the choir, to have found something he could do well. And he became quite the tenor, winning state competitions and performing in musicals at Central High School.
Stokes taught at the junior high, high school and served as the TCAPS music supervisor. While working for the district, he started a Men of Note singing group at the high school, having been inspired by his own experience in a Men of Note group while at Indiana University.
“So Men of Note started and they were so popular in all of northern Michigan that there were groupies that would follow them to all of their concerts,” Brick said. “They were just so good, and Tom was so good with those kids.”
Over the years, Stokes developed other choir groups like Da Guys, choirs for homeschoolers and a junior high group called The Quarter Notes. He also served as a vocal coach, musical arranger and created numerous musical sight reading manuals that are used throughout the country to this day, Brick said.
Stokes was with the district from 1973 until 1998, serving as Music Supervisor the last six years. He was named State Teacher of the Year in 1994.
He was also involved in the Old Town Playhouse, serving as the musical director for many shows, Brick said. The playhouse shared their condolences in a social media post that said they were “lucky enough” to have worked with him many times over the years, including in productions of “Sweet Charity,” “Hay Fever,” “Gypsy,” “City of Angels” and “Carousel,” among so many others.
“Our OTP family celebrates his talent and extends sympathy to his family, including Board Member Nancy Brick,” it said.
Emerick Dee, West Middle School choir teacher, said in a social media post that saw Stokes, who he described as “such an encourager,” a few weeks ago and he had “an ear for great singing” that hadn’t declined with age.
“I’m incredibly thankful that our paths crossed several times over the years and blessed to have know Tom personally and professionally,” Dee said. “He will be dearly missed, but his impact will continue for generations because of his love for countless students and the impact he made through teaching students choral music!”
The funeral will be held in early November, date to be determined, and an obituary will be available soon, Brick said.