My husband, Tom, and I were married in the chapel of St. Luke’s on June 25, 1977. We met in March 1975 at a St. Patrick’s Day party shortly after I moved to Houston from my small hometown of Sidney, Ohio. The week after I moved here, I received a call from my great-aunt, Ann Castle an active member of St. Luke’s inviting me to attend church with her.  I came the following Sunday and was particularly excited after hearing the choir. I met Bob and Barbara Bennett after the service and I joined the Chancel Choir the very next week and the church the following Sunday. Not long after I became involved in the Music Ministry, Eunice Lockett, Director of Children’s Ministries, approached me about an opening for a teacher in one of the two-year-old Sunday School classes. Being fresh out of college and not knowing much about any of that, I was a bit hesitant but she assured me that all would be fine. And it certainly was! The other three teachers of the class, Laura Wheless, Donna Field, and Jaunea Ford, became immediate mentors to me and we have continued to be friends through the years. I loved teaching and continued to do so for nearly 30 years, many of which were in a third-grade classroom with my friend Marilyn Greer.

Having grown up in a choir family, music has always been a very special part of my life and, through the leadership of Bob Bennett and Sid Davis, I continue to be grateful for the many Music and Fine Arts opportunities and experiences I have had through the years. In addition to continuing to sing in the Chancel Choir and now in St. Cecilia, as well, I eagerly showed up to learn the art of handbell-ringing when they were first introduced at St. Luke’s in the Fall of 1987 and rang in the bell choir for a number of years. Voice lessons through Bridges Academy were a true blessing to me and I will always be grateful to Beverly Laubach for her knowledge and patience.

My prayer life and Bible study have been strengthened and deepened by the amazing ladies of my long-time LIFT group and members of the Prayer Ministry.  The three children I have mentored through the Kids Hope program have taught me so much about love and relationships and the value of time spent together.

One of my greatest joys and blessings began on August 1, 2002, when I came to work fulltime at St. Luke’s in Membership and, now, Caring Ministries, as well. I have gotten acquainted with so many new people and been able to further strengthen long-time friendships.  And, as is always the case, I have certainly received so much more that I can ever hope to give and I am grateful every day.

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