Elizabeth Ann Son; Organist

Elizabeth Ann Son, former choir director who played the organ at St. Finbar Catholic Church in Burbank for 45 years, has died at a Burbank hospital. She was 73.

Mrs. Son died Tuesday of liver failure, said her daughter, Mary Elizabeth Perassolo of Burbank.

Born in Gridley, Kan., she came to California in 1940. She came to St. Finbar’s in 1947 as choir director and was its primary organist. She played at most Masses and at weddings and special events. In the late 1970s, Mrs. Son retired as choir director but continued to play the organ at the 8 a.m. Sunday Mass until early October.

She also had worked as a manicurist at her daughter Mary’s hair salon, Le Balcony in Studio City, from 1985 to 1990.

Mrs. Son was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Third Order of Mary, the Italian Catholic Federation, the American Guild of Organists, the Chorale Conductors Guild and the Burbank Symphony Assn. She also sang with a choral group in Burbank, and in the choirs at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in North Hollywood and St. John Baptist de la Salle Catholic Church in Granada Hills.

In addition to her daughter, Mary, she is survived by sons David Clarence Son of Sun Valley, Michael James Son and Timothy Joseph Son of Burbank; daughters Rebecca Ann Son-Boland of Canyon Country and Barbara Kathryn Edwards of Sacramento; sister Velma Sullivan of St. George, Utah; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Her husband, Merle C. Son, died in 1987.

Visitation is planned from 1 to 5 p.m. and from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Monday, with a rosary at 7 p.m. at the Valley Funeral Home, 2121 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank, which is handling the arrangements.

A funeral Mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Finbar Catholic Church, 2010 W. Olive Ave., Burbank.

Burial will follow at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills.