Donald E. Spieth, 81, of Bethlehem, died at home on September 1, 2023. Born in Muscatine, Iowa, he was a son of the late Edward and Hazel (Brei) Spieth. He was the husband of Llyena Boylan for 23 years.

He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of lowa. He studied conducting with Sixten Ehrlich at The Juilliard School.

He was, in 1967 a National Teaching Fellow at Moravian University, where he founded the Moravian University Orchestra in 1967. He was an artist-in-residence in music and conductor of the Moravian University Orchestra and the conductor-in-residence at Central Moravian Church since 2007.

He was the music director of the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra for more than two decades, and led highly acclaimed New York performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. He was a guest conductor for a number of orchestras and ensembles, taught on the faculty of several Lehigh Valley colleges and universities, and led the LVCO in two studio recordings. He collaborated with celebrated artists such as Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang and Lang Lang, among many others.

He was a member of the Rotary Club of Bethlehem.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Shawn and his wife Christine of Dallas, Texas; and Stow and his fiancé Tina Guerrieri of Schwenksville; three grandchildren, Jordan Spieth and wife Annie and Ellie Spieth, all of Dallas, Texas; and Steven Spieth and wife Maeve of Austin, Texas; a great-grandson; Sammy; a great-granddaughter, Scout; a step-daughter Alexis Boylan and wife Micki McElya of Cambridge, Massachusetts; and a stepson, Gabriel Boylan and wife Christine Smallwood of Brooklyn, New York, and their sons, Lonnie and Damon.

Contributions may be made to the Moravian University Orchestra, 1200 Main St., Bethlehem, PA 18018.

Arrangements were made by Cantelmi Funeral Home Inc., Bethlehem.