John Butsch

John Austin Butsch, 59, died in the early morning hours of Thursday, April 7, 2011. He was the victim of a vicious murder committed by an intruder in his historic Woodruff Place home. John was born to Richard and Gloria (Tomlinson) Butsch at Indianapolis' Methodist Hospital on August 18, 1951. He taught himself to play the family piano at the age of four and played proficiently for years before receiving his first piano lesson at age ten. Although he had many interests and excelled in many subjects during his formal education, it was music that became John's life. At age 9, John became the accompanist for the Sunday School Department at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church. He also played sports in the nationally recognized recreation program at "Tab." Throughout grade school and high school, John played the piano for many functions at Tab, IPS School 70, Shortridge High School, Northwood Christian Church, the Jewish Community Center, St. Andrew Methodist Church, The Propylaeum, the Scottish Rite Cathedral, and Footlite Musicals. He won many local talent contests, including those sponsored annually by The Indianapolis Star and the Indianapolis Parks Department. As a teenager, John played keyboards in a local rock band, Gentlemen of the First Class, which won the "Battle of the Bands" contest at the 1968 Indiana State Fair. John attended William A. Bell School 60, Mary E. Nicholson School 70, and Shortridge High School. During his public school years, he also studied advanced classical piano privately with James Kantarze, a faculty member at Indiana Central College (now the University of Indianapolis). In his junior year at Shortridge, John won a scholarship to the Aspen Summer Music Festival and School, where he studied with famed Russian American pianist Madame Rhosina Lh�vinne, a revered faculty member at the Juilliard School of Music. In his senior year at Shortridge, John was awarded a full, four-year J. Ralph Corbett Scholarship to the Cincinnati-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. He made his debut as a soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at the age of 17. John was also the recipient of the Emma Pantzer, Howard Ladin, and Matin�e Musicale scholarships. While at C-CM, he studied with British pianist John Bigg and American pianist Jeanne Kirstein. Following his training at C-CM, John moved to California, residing over the next decade in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. He continued his musical studies at Antioch College West. He worked with several musical organizations in California, including the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. John composed and recorded original music for Time-Warner and ABC-TV. He shared the stage with Burt Bacharach, Tony Bennett, the Pointer Sisters, and Tina Turner. Despite his classical training, John decided to redirect his efforts to writing and performing popular music. For several years, he was an entertainer on the Holland America Cruise Line, sailing on 4 oceans to more than 30 countries. He became a prolific songwriter, composing more than 400 original songs in his lifetime. Whenever John returned to his hometown of Indianapolis for any length of time, he quickly re-established himself in local performing arts circles. He wrote, produced, and/or accompanied productions at the Broad Ripple Playhouse, Raleigh's Dinner Theatre, Theatre On The Square (TOTS), Murat Centre, Indiana Historical Society (IHS), Scottish Rite Cathedral, Footlite Musicals, Lebanon Educational Foundation, the International School, and the Bluebird Cafe. For 7 years, John was the Music Director at the American Cabaret Theatre (ACT), located in the historic Athenaeum (Das Deutsche Haus). John was also associated with BOBDIREX, a local production company that has mounted several independent shows in the Athenaeum Theatre in recent years. He had begun work on "Camp Rock: The Musical" just two days before his untimely demise. John was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Frank John Butsch, Jr. and Edith Kilbourne Butsch; his maternal grandparents, Stuart Austin Tomlinson and Catharine Harraman Tomlinson; his father, Richard Valentine Butsch; his stepfather, John L. Bulger, Sr.; and his sisters Catharine Butsch Newland and Gloria Butsch Everhart. John is survived by his mother, Gloria Tomlinson Lucas Butsch Bulger of Indianapolis; his sisters, Sharon Butsch Freeland (Michael) and Kristin Butsch of Indianapolis; his half-brother, George Edward Lucas Butsch (Elizabeth) of Santa Ana, California; his sister, Maria Valentine of Los Angeles, California; and his stepbrother, John L. Bulger, Jr. (Ruth), of Indianapolis. Other survivors include aunts Bettie Butsch Dell of Indianapolis and Iola Tomlinson Lanaman (Frank) of Columbus, Ohio; nieces Ajna Austin of Paris, France; Kristin Butsch of Everett, Washington; and Catherine Butsch Hurtado of Tustin, California; nephews, Adam Butsch and Nathan Butsch of Santa Ana, California, and Clayton Butsch of Everett, Washington; and numerous extended family members. His survivors also include a large circle of friends, many of them lifelong. John was much loved and will be sorely missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing this kind, generous, witty, and talented human being. In honor of their classmate, the Shortridge High School Class of 1969 has established the John Austin Butsch Memorial Fund. Contributions to the fund will go to the music department at their alma mater to pay for instruments and scholarships. Donations may be mailed or delivered in person to the National Bank of Indianapolis at 4930 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis, IN 46205-1080, or mailed to John's Shortridge classmate, William R. Fatout, Attorney at Law, P.O. Box 30029, Indianapolis, IN 46230-3029. A Celebration of John's life will be held on Wednesday, May 4, 2011, at 6 p.m. in the Athenaeum Theatre, 401 E. Michigan St. Burial services at Crown Hill Cemetery will be private. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Flanner and Buchanan Funeral Center - Broad Ripple. A slide show of photos from John's life can be viewed on this site. You are also invited to leave a memory of John. Scroll back up to the top of this page for these options.