-He was born near Graymont, Illinois in 1914 and started studying piano at the age of 6

-Enrolled at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois in 1933, graduated in 1935

-In 1935 won first prize in a national composition competition sponsored by the Clarke Conservatory of Music for the organ piece "Fugue with Chorale"

-Studied composition at University of Michigan from 1938-1940, earning a Masters degree

-Studied composition at Mills College in Oakland, CA, in 1941

-Summer of 1945 and 1946 studied toward a Ph.D. at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles

-Instructor of piano and voice at Baylor University, 1935-1936

-Professor of piano, voice, theory and director of the A Cappella choir at Upper Iowa University, 1936-1939

-Instructor and assistant professor of music, Baylor University, and secretary of the Baylor University School of Music, 1939-1942

-Director of choral music, Riverdale Country School, 1943

-Instructor in music theory and secretary of the School of Music, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1943-1945

-Director of choral music at St. Paul Academy and Summit School, 1943-1945

-Assistant and Associate Professor of music theory and musicology at Baylor University, 1945-1948

-Elected head of the department of music and professor of music, Hamline University, 1948
-Retired from Hamline University in 1979, but continued as a part-time instructor until 1992

-Was very involved in music education organizations (President of the Minnesota Music Teachers Association)

-Died on Wednesday, September 13, 1995 in Minneapolis