Warren Felts

In the last sixty years, the West Aurora High School band has had only three directors. For fully half that time, the man with the baton was Warren Felts. A master of the tuba and string bass, Felts led West High's band for 35 years before retiring in 1977. He died March 24, 2006, at Rush-Copley Medical Center from complications of a respiratory infection. He was 87. Born in Harrisburg, Ill., to a state health inspector who gave music lessons on the side, Felts was surrounded by music all his life.