Lewis Pierson Hildreth of Southampton died on October 31 at Southampton Hospital. He was 86.
Born in New York City and raised in Southampton, he was the son of Natalie and Lewis P. Hildreth. He graduated from Southampton High School and Ithaca Conservatoire of Music. After graduating from high school, he served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Panama. After his military service, he went on to study music at Bard College and Ithaca.
He taught music in upstate New York and then returned to Southampton to work in the family store. A few years later, he returned to teaching, working for BOCES. He taught music in Tuckahoe, Bridgehampton, New Suffolk and Wainscott schools. He was also choir director at the Southampton First Presbyterian Church for 30 years.
Mr. Hildreth is survived by his sister, Cynthia Karzenski; and nieces, Deborah Madeiras, and Mindy Lamb and husband Rob; and a nephew, Tom Holdsworth and wife Laraine. A nephew, William Holdsworth, predeceased him.
Services were private.