Gloria Dawn Scates Aberg, 82, died Monday, April 20, 2015, following an extended illness. She was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, reared in Sheffield and Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Mrs. Aberg was the wife of the late John Osborne Aberg, of Huntsville, and daughter of the late Paul Willard and Roxie Smith Scates, of Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
She is survived by her daughters, Anna Dawn Aberg, Charlottesville, Virginia, Melissa A. West (Christopher Murray West), Saint Louis, Missouri, and Amy L. A. McLelland (Jeffrey Randall McLelland), Birmingham, Alabama; grandchildren, Ariel Alexandra Aberg-Riger, John Maxwell Aberg-Riger (father, the late Robert Nelson Riger), James Jerome Brehany IV, Benjamin Paul West, Roxanna Christine West and Luke Alexander West; and cousins.
Mrs. Aberg was a pianist and teacher, studied piano performance at the Birmingham Music Conservatory, the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and George Peabody College, Nashville, Tennessee, from which she earned the Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education, piano emphasis, with kindergarten through twelfth grade certification. She studied the Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze classroom music disciplines at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Memphis State University, Memphis, Tennessee, holding Level I and Master Class certification. She was a member of the Sigma Alpha Iota Music honorary fraternity and the Chi Omega social sorority.
Before retirement, Mrs. Aberg, a private piano teacher, was also employed by The Randolph School, Huntsville, Alabama, as a kindergarten through third grade music specialist. Throughout her career she served as pianist and organist at churches in Alabama, Tennessee and Connecticut, performed with the Huntsville Community Ballet School, and accompanied numerous vocalist, instrumentalists and choral groups. She was active in parent-teacher organizations in the Huntsville City Schools and the Randolph School. Mrs. Aberg served on the boards of director of The Huntsville Music Appreciation Group, The Huntsville Community Ballet Association, the Huntsville Civic Ballet Company, the Huntsville Youth Orchestra and the Huntsville Board of Education. She was a member of the Huntsville Arts Council, the Huntsville Community Chorus, active in parent-teacher organizations in the Huntsville City school system and The Randolph School, other art, civic, religious and political organizations. Mrs. Aberg was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Sheffield, Alabama.
There will be a private family graveside service preceding burial in Oakwood Cemetery, Sheffield Alabama with the Rev. Vicki Tonini officiating.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the American Leukemia Society or First United Methodist Church of Sheffield, Alabama.
An online guest registry is available at morrisonfuneralhomes.com.
