Louise M. Nathanson, 83, of Rock Island, died Monday, June 30, 2008, at Trinity Medical Center, West Campus, Rock Island.

Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Wallenberg Hall, 3520 7th Ave., Rock Island, located on the Augustana College campus. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, Rock Island, is assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Augustana College Music Department to the Nathanson Scholarship for Students Studying Music, or to the Nathanson Applied Student Lesson Award.

Louise Meiszner was born in St. Louis, Mo., on Aug. 24, 1924, the daughter of John and Lujza Meiszner.

Ms. Nathanson was a child prodigy who started playing the piano when she was three-and-a-half years old, and gave her first recital when she was five. Her family moved to Hungary the next year because an appropriate-level music education could not be found for a six-year-old in the U.S., and in Budapest she was accepted into the famous Franz Liszt Academy as a fourth-grade student.

In 1959, she married Martin Nathanson, of Rock Island, and retired from traveling and concertizing. Her son, Kevin, was born in 1960, and at a young age he, too, became a musician. After years away from her music, Ms. Nathanson began to play the piano again to accompany her son on the flute, and in 1972, she started partnering with artists visiting the Quad-Cities area. Her work with the Quad City Arts groups lasted 25 years, and she greatly enjoyed playing with the visiting artists while tutoring private students in her home.

She joined the faculty of Augustana College in 1980, participating in faculty recitals and teaching there and at Rivermont Collegiate.

Ms. Nathanson is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Laura Nathanson, Castro Valley, Calif. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.

Online condolences may be left at www.wheelanpressly.com.