Marsha Chartrand

Mary Sue Moore to celebrate retirement after five decades serving Bethel Church

Decrease Font Size Increase Font Size Text Size Print This Page

Mary Sue Moore and her husband, Joe, have been celebrating milestones in their lives at Bethel UCC for many years. They are pictured at their 44th anniversary in 2000 — with the organ she has played for so many years in the background

Back in 1967, when Joe and Mary Sue Moore moved out to their home at Pleasant Lake with their young family, Mary Sue might not have foreseen the next 50-plus years “playing out” exactly as they did.

Many who have known her over those years, however, are likely not surprised to know that the young mother who was named Children’s Choir Director at Bethel United Church of Christ in 1968 has spent most of the past 54 years working one, two, or more jobs at a time in the music department at Bethel. At times, it seems, she pretty much was the music department at Bethel!

Beginning with the Children’s Choir in 1968, she went on to direct all of Bethel’s choirs (Children’s, Youth, and Senior Choirs) from 1969 through 1983. Then she did various choir directing and accompanying from 1987 through 2019. And she even directed the Bethel Orchestra 1985–1999. Longest and perhaps most consistently, however, Mary Sue has served as Bethel’s organist from 1987 through 2021, with Judy Fiegel sharing the organist duties during the past couple of years.

Holding a degree from Schoolcraft College, Mary Sue started teaching piano in her home in 1973 and over the years has taught dozens, if not hundreds (unofficial count: about 210), of young people (and even some adults) how to tickle the ivories and has also passed along some secrets of skills on the organ to those with an interest. Her father was a self-taught big-band pianist who played by ear and obviously passed along some of those talents to his daughter.

Along the way, Mary Sue has also been highly involved in the Manchester community. In addition to her many and varied musical positions at Bethel, she’s also been involved in most of the church’s groups and activities, such as the Ice Cream Social, CROP Walk, Sauerkraut Supper, Women’s Fellowships, Mission projects, and so on). She has also served the community since the 1990s on the board of Manchester Family Service, and the Pleasant Lake Property Owners Association for many years as well. She’s served on the Ann Arbor Area Piano Teachers Guild for even longer, and has held a variety of positions in that organization.

Mary Sue has always enjoyed playing, whether it is piano, organ, or accompanying the many choirs she has directed. And on May 7, Bethel will host a private celebration of her many years of service to the church for family, church family, and friends at the Bethel Fellowship Hall.

Wishing this very special woman a long and fruitful journey through retirement!

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.
Become a patron at Patreon!

Become a Monthly Patron!

You must be logged in to post a comment Login