Esther M. Robbins Wideman, 81, of Philadelphia, passed away on October 7, 2014, in her home with her family by her side. Esther was born on Christmas day in 1932, in a little Cherokee Indian Hospital just outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a young child her first instruments were the xylophone and the marimba, given to her as Christmas presents, and she excelled at playing them. She loved playing jazz, religious, classical and all genre of music on these unique instruments. As a young child she was given piano lessons in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She quickly mastered piano performance and accompaniment, and was in competition to be first place and the top billing in all of her concerts. By the age of 16, her parents sent her to Pacific Union College in California, to study piano and organ performance with Dr. Becker. She continued her education at P.U.C., and had two daughters, Julene and Julia with her first husband.



Esther continued her education, completing her Masters Degree in Organ Performance at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Her daughters can remember to this day her surperb and impressive masters organ recitals.

She also studied for her doctoral degree at Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland. She then married her second husband, Dr. James Wideman, and they moved to Philadelphia where she was the Organist and Director of Music at the historic Arch Street Presbyterian Church for 40 years. Dr. Wideman had a career in Neuro-physiology research at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia. Esther worked closely with her dear friend, Presbyterian Minister, Dr. Todd and she organized regular Wednesday noon concerts for the City of Philadelphia workers, where they would bring their sack lunch and hear fabulous music each week. She played many concerts in the City of Philadelphia and surrounding areas, with a wide repertoire of music, including English, French and Baroque music on the organ, harpsichord and piano. She taught music at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, and private organ lessons. Esther particularly enjoyed giving performances and soirees using her own Willard Martin French Harpsichord. Her musical dinner parties were famous among her friends in the music community and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Many summers she spent touring Europe's famous organs on tours with the American Guild of Organists and her own private tours. She loved traveling in England, Germany, France and Amsterdam, playing every organ available to her. She was highly instrumental in working with the church committee to install a J. W. Walker Tracker Organ from England for the Chestnut Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church. She was a member at St. Marks Episcopal Church in Philadelphia and the American Guild of Organists, Philadelphia Chapter.



Around 20 years ago, Mrs. Wideman met Albert Falcove, who had moved back to his home town of Philadelphia, after retiring from a career as a violist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in California. He was a graduate from Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. Esther and Albert began giving concerts together in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Omaha, Bethlehem, and Europe. In retirement, Esther organized many concerts at the Watermark Tower where she and Albert entertained all of the residents and local community.



She is predeceased by her first husband Donald Cupps and her husband Dr. James Wideman, and her good friend Albert Falkove. She is survived by her daughters Julene Martin-Morganelli and Julia B. Aren Robbins, her grandchildren Sophia Nastassja Martin and Nicholas Orlando Martin, her sister June Smith Davis, her nieces and great nieces and nephew.



A viewing will be held at Terranova Funeral Home, 1248 S. Broad Street., Philadelphia, 19146 on Wednesday evening, October 15, 7-9 P.M. A Requiem Mass will be held at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, 1625 Locust Street, Philadelphia, 19103 at 2 P.M. on Thursday, October 16. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Saint Mark's Episcopal Church.