From 1974 to 1977, I was the organist and accompanist for the choirs at the all-girls Episcopal school, St. Andrew’s Priory, and worked under Wanda Gereben, the choral teacher. But I not only played the piano and organ—I also sewed costumes for the spring musical one year.

When I left the Priory in 1977, I married Carl Crosier and spent a year being a housewife and practiced the organ six to eight hours a day. I got bored sitting at home (and the laundry STILL piled up!) so then I spent two years as the School Secretary at St. Clement’s School. My next job was as a statistical typist where I typed financial statements 8 hours a day (that’s NUMBERS all day long!) I became terribly accurate in typing digits because in those days, we didn’t have computers where you could correct as you go, but had to make six carbon copies!

I came back to the Priory in 1983 as the Handbell Choir Director (with 17 classes a week!), as well as helped out as computer system administrator, but left in 1988 to work full time for a computer reseller. At the time I left in 1988, I told Fr. David Kennedy, that I felt I was leaving “my mother,” because it was a place that I felt safe. However, I decided this time that I needed to earn more money, hence my switch to the world of profit.

About the same time, my husband, Carl Crosier, started doing the books for the Priory, and eventually stayed 29 years and became the chief financial officer. Of course during that time I tagged along in all of the social functions, and became acquainted with a lot of the administrative staff. We held yearly Christmas parties for the executive administrative team (EAT) and Carl always wowed them with his fancy gourmet meals.

In the meantime, I spent 20 years as the Chapel Organist of Iolani School. After retirement, I have continued to play the St. Andrew’s organ for Iolani’s Christmas and Spring concerts.

With John Renke leaving St. Andrew’s Cathedral and St. Andrew’s Priory in 2016, I was again called upon to act as the interim chapel organist which I did until graduation in 2017. I had just retired as Chapel Organist from Iolani School and came to the Cathedral to play weekly chapel services. I just needed to keep busy and out of trouble!

So I was not too surprised when last week, Sue Ann Wargo, whom I’ve known since forever! —my first days at the Priory in 1974 when she was the second grade teacher— called to ask whether I would again play for chapel services, baccalaureate and graduation this year with the departure of Todd Beckham. She has held many different positions in the school, in fact, she is a 1969 alumna of the school, but now she is acting as interim chapel coordinator, among other responsibilities.

And of course I said ‘yes.’ The Priory is only two blocks away from my condo so it’s no problem to walk there. I will have to contend with the aging Aeolian-Skinner organ, which is almost like Forrest Gump’s “box of chocolates:” —”You never know what you’re gonna get,” meaning that you don’t know what notes are going to be dead, or which division is going to stop working, or whether the organ WILL JUST SOUND EVERY SINGLE PIPE WITHOUT BEING PLAYED (!) which it has done frequently! My solution is to just throw my hands up in the air and turn the organ off, then back on again after a few minutes.

So far, I will only have one conflict with the Priory chapel schedule and my traveling—I leave for Cleveland in a couple of weeks!

Yesterday was my biweekly trip to the island of Kaua’i where I have an organ student, and it was then that I learned that the installation of the new Rosales organ will be delayed until next spring. I will still be traveling there to play the Christmas concert of the Kauai Chorale, directed by Shane Morris Wise, but will have to perform on the Rodgers hybrid at Lihue United Church where I give lessons.

If it’s Monday, it must be Lihue … if it’s Tuesday, it must be at St. Andrew’s Priory! And for the next two Sundays I’m at Waiokeola Congregational Church on the Heissler tracker.