Dr. Elmer Booze

Dr. Dr. Elmer Booze, an accomplished pianist, world renown page turner, music scholar, and distinguished music librarian passed away on July 11, 2026 at the age of 93 in Pikesville, Maryland. Dr. Booze was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Bertha Johnson and David Booze. He was the fourth of six siblings who predeceased him- Elsie Cross, Aleace Gray, Marshall Booze, Sr., Arthur Booze and Birdie Covington. Dr. Booze is a graduate of Frederick Douglass Senior High in Baltimore (Class of 1952). Dr. Booze devoted his life to music, education, performance and scholarship. He earned his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with a minor in Music Education from Howard University in 1960. He earned a Master of Music from The Catholic University of America in 1972, where he majored in Piano Performance and Pedogogy Courses. He received his Doctor of Arts from Lorenz University in 2009. Dr. Booze enlisted in the Navy in November, 1955 where he performed in the Navy Band at USO clubs. He completed his time in the Navy in 1957. Dr. Booze’s federal career started in 1961 at the National Institute of Health Medicines as a Library Technician. In 1965, he worked in the same position at the Library of the Department of Interior. Dr. Booze secured his ultimate job at the Library of Congress, where he worked from 1967 until his retirement in October, 1989. Dr. Booze worked several positions at the Library. He was a Stack Supervisor where he supervised the Library Technicians which included providing the guidance needed to organize and care for the largest music collection in the world. Dr. Booze studied Russian and became the Library’s “Russian person.”He responded and assisted (by phone and/or in writing to inquiries from libraries and individuals from around the world about the Library of Congress’s collections from 1972-1989. He was out stationed from the Library for a time to the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts’ Reading Room. Dr. Booze served as the Reference Librarian/ Music Specialist using information systems and technologies to retrieve data for officials, scholars and the public. As a page turner, Dr. Booze went to Europe to assist concert pianist Selma Epstein (England) and baritone Peter Edelman (Germany). Dr. Booze engaged as a Page turner to assist artists appearing in local venues such as the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Sackler Gallery, National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress after retirement and the White House (where he turned pages for Leontyne Price’saccompanist). He also gave assistance to various artists appearing at Washington Embassies (Canadian, French, Austrian). Dr. Booze was engaged at The Newport Music Festival that is held every July for 45 years starting in 1969. He conducted music research and has turned hundreds of thousands of pages for the Festival artists. Dr. Booze looked forward to his annual three week sojourn to Rhode Island where he worked and enjoyed the camaraderie with the artists. He absolutely LOVED it! Dr. Booze has turned pages for some of the pre-eminent musicians in the world e.g. Rudolf Serkin, Menahem Pressler, Jorge Boilet, and Leon Fleisher. Dr. Booze’s list of artists that he assisted is massive. There was a re-boot of the television program, “To Tell the Truth” produced by NBC studios in Burbank, California. Dr. Booze was able to outwit a studio audience participant in a segment entitled ‘One on One” and won $1000. Dr. Booze was contacted by NBC as a result of a news article picked up by the Associated Press, which distinguished him as an internationally acclaimed page turner (the article appeared in the Washington Post). The response was enthusiastic and he received congratulatory greetings from all over the U.S. Dr. Booze was a Program Note annotator for the National Gallery of Art where he completed a set of notes that is bound in seven volumes. Dr. Booze was a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinphonia Fraternity. He was Board of Directors Secretary of the Library of Congress Credit Union. Dr. Booze was the Treasurer for the Society of Federal Linguists. Dr. Booze translated into English, the preface of a book of Russian folk songs by the author, Ivan Peach that is housed in the rare book section of the Library of Congress. Dr. Booze received numerous honors and awards: Distinguished Leadership Award and medal by the American Biographical Research Institute. Man of the Year in 1960 by ABRIRA. He was listed in the First Five Hundred of Cambridge, England and also the International Who’s Who of Intellectuals, ninth edition. About five years ago, Dr. Booze started to have some health challenges and on the suggestion of his niece Rita, he moved to Pikesville, Md. where he remained until his transition. “Uncle Elmer” to all he met, slowly adjusted to not living by himself. He never complained about being alone, in fact he loved it. What a life change for “Unc”! Uncle Elmer had many visitors at his apartment. He even allowed Zeta Phi Beta Sorority,Inc. Mu Xi Zeta chapter along with the fraternity brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. to rehearse for the chapters’ 40th Anniversary choir. At the suggestion of Rita’s long-time friend Holly Greer, Rebecca Trout performed classical piano mini-concerts in Uncle Elmer’s living room. We started with private concerts for Uncle Elmer, but the attendees grew to about 10 people. Uncle Elmer was in his world and loved watching Becky’s fingers glide across the keyboard. He also loved the conversations that he had with her afterward. Although classical music was Uncle Elmer’s favorite genre of music, he also enjoyed Art Tatum, Errol Garner and Jacques Loussier. Uncle Elmer adopted a niece and two nephews; Janie Williams, Reginald Chase and Michael Guthrie who visited and assisted on a consistent basis. Uncle Elmer was able to remain in his apartment with his beloved piano, until God called him home. This would not have happened without the love and support of his Angels: Eddie Sharp, Marcus Harris, Marcelle McClellan, Tanya “Lady” Butler, Destiny Pompey, Karen Davis, Toni Crimes and Celia Charles. Uncle Elmer will be missed by his family and friends. His niece Rita Alleyne and his adopted niece of many years Sandra Bowles, were his main Caregivers. His nieces and nephews, Marshall Booze, Jr., Jacqueline Daniels, Jack Cross, Jr., Debra Lyons, Arthur Booze, Jr., Yolanda Booze, Glennyss Nock, Glenda Moore, and Mary Crowner. Uncle Elmer remained Close to long-time friends Sandra Key and son Steve, Delores Young, and Bill Stieff. Uncle Elmer had little buddies, Aria and her brother, Robert Carr, Jr., Aubree Williams and the yappy, but very protective dachshund, Kiwi who will also miss him.

Tributes

Dr. Elmer Booze

November 26, 1932 - July 11, 2026