Hedley Nosworthy, a well-respected music teacher who spent 28 years serving the music department and the EC community at large, died on Jan. 30.

Nosworthy had officially submitted his retirement in January, Constance Fitzsimons, dean of fine arts, said.

“He was very well loved and very dedicated to his teaching and his student,” Diane L. Hayden, associate dean of fine arts, said.

According to an email sent by Fitzsimons on Tuesday, Nosworthy was hired to teach Applied Voice in 1986, appointed full-time status in 1991 to teach Voice Class I and Voice Class II, and spent his entire EC career making important contributions that directly benefited students.

Nosworthy wrote two textbooks for voice students, and he helped expand the music curriculum by adding two classes that help students develop skills for performing operatic literature and music in the Italian, Spanish, French, and German languages.

According to the email, many of Nosworthy’s students went on to win international competitions. Some became professional opera, concert, Broadway, jazz, rock, rhythm and blues, heavy metal, and religious music singers, and one even won a Grammy.

“He provided tremendous leadership in the program,” Fitzsimons said.

She added that he was easy to work with and “always came to work with a happy spirit.”

Nosworthy was honored and acknowledged at the Fine Arts Division meeting on Jan. 15, Fitzsimons said, with a special presentation by Joanna Nachef, professor of music.

“He was always willing to join committees, and he always gave of himself,” Fitzsimons said. “He had a great sense of humor.”

While at EC, Nosworthy served on the Academic Senate, Staff Development Committee, Division Curriculum Committee and Division Council.

In her email, Fitzsimons punctuated that Noswothy’s “dedication, service, and contributions to El Camino are indeed noteworthy. “

Information on a memorial for Nosworthy will be forthcoming.

“He will be dearly missed,” Fitzsimons said.