1. How did you become a church organist?
I had had five years of piano when my choir director, Maria Schmidt at Covenant Lutheran Church, began giving me lessons when I was 14. She gave an organ concert and let me sit next to her and help her turn the pages. That was a real treat for me.
Growing up at Detroit Lutheran High School, we had chapel everyday and there were five of us who could play the organ and we each took one day.
When I went to Valparaiso, I took two semesters of Organ just for the fun of it. My professor knew I was not taking the class to become an accomplished organist so he taught me the basics, we would play duets and just have a lot of fun with it.
I never thought much about being a church organist until we came to Blytheville. The pastor's wife was the only one who could play the organ. She was so happy to have someone who could play as well. In the fall of 1959 we sort of traded off and they left in 1962.
2. How did Blytheville become your home?
Don was in the Air Force. We lived on the air base for three and a half years. When Don was ready to be released we thought we'd go back to Missouri because he was from Perryville. We had become friends with the Burges, and when it was time for us to leave, Dan asked Don to join his law firm. So we rented a house for one year on Hearn Street. We said we would check with the Lord to see if he really wanted us to stay here, because we really hadn't planned on staying. So, we realized that we enjoyed working here and enjoyed the people here and mainly the church. If there had not been a Lutheran church here, we would not have stayed.
3. How has church music changed over the years?
It's really changed. It's become much more rhythmic as you'll hear especially in the Pentecostal churches. Piano is no longer the most important instrument; guitar has taken it's place. Churches have gone away from organ music. Organ music really hasn't changed. There hasn't been much written for the organ recently. Bach is still the favorite for organ music.
4. How has the church landscape in Blytheville changed over the years?
The churches over the years have been the social network of the town. The Catholic church would have their turkey dinner. Aldersgate had their spaghetti supper. First Lutheran would put on a luncheon every year for the ladies of the town and we would make a cookbook from what we served so that people could sample and buy a cookbook. While churches still have these functions, it's not quite as large as it used to be.
5. Describe how Blytheville has changed over the years.
Even when we first came, the Lutheran church was a small congregation. It was started by essentially by three families. The Wildys lived in Etowah, the Smiths lived in Leachville and the Reichels were the only ones who lived in Blytheville.
The town really didn't know the people of the church. At the air base, they were still building the alert shack and the only plane that flew in was a plane that they called a goonie bird. There were empty houses beside us and we had to mow those lawns too. There were only 39 officers when we came on the base. The town was still small and very segregated. The base grew, which brought more people to the town and eventually to our church.
afitzpatrick@blythevillecourier.com