Clyde Elliot Luke passed away peacefully on October 1, 2025, at the age of 83. Born in Burley, Idaho, on May 16, 1942, Clyde was the youngest child of Sybil (Wilson) and Harold V. Luke. He loved music and learning from a young age and dedicated much of his life to the pursuit of musical excellence.
Clyde grew up on an Idaho farm, where he learned the values of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. After serving a mission to the Western States Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Clyde completed a degree in music from Brigham Young University in 1967. It was in a music class at BYU that he met his wife, Janet Peterson, an accomplished pianist and accompanist. Clyde and Janet were married in the Cardston Alberta Temple on June 7, 1967, before moving to Rexburg, Idaho, where they both taught music in the Madison County School District.
In the mid-1970s, he completed a master’s degree in choral conducting and music education from the University of Idaho. Clyde began his career at Ricks College (which later became BYU–Idaho) in 1971 and served as a music professor and choral conductor there for 30 years. He loved sharing his passion for beautiful choral music and appreciated the opportunity to mentor and advise young adults. While at Ricks/BYU–Idaho, Clyde conducted the A Cappella Choir, the Concert Chorale, and the Collegiate Singers. Some of his professional accomplishments included invitations for his A Cappella Choir to perform at the American Choral Directors Association National Convention and on “Music and the Spoken Word” with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Even more important to him, however, was the opportunity to have a positive influence on his students and to help them develop traits and values that would serve them well throughout their lives.
Clyde was also a man of many hobbies. He had a love for gardening and landscaping, home improvement projects, car maintenance and repair, electronics and technology, travel, and motorcycling. He will be missed by his children, Laura Dickison, Robert Luke, and Michelle Absher; his brother, Gordon Luke; his sons-in-law, Brett Dickison and Douglas Absher; his sixteen grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Clyde was preceded in death by his loving wife, Janet; his parents, Harold and Sybil; and his siblings, Beverly Coltrin, Virginia Luke, and Hal Luke. A viewing will be held on Monday, October 13, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. at 1120 West Greens Lake Drive, Cedar City, Utah. The funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. For those unable to attend in person, a live stream of the service will be available at https://cedarvalleyfuneral.com/obituaries/clyde-luke.