Morgan and Mary Simmons
On a bone-chilling January 1, 1963 we arrived in Evanston to make our home, but that frigid reception was soon replaced by the warmth of friendships that quickly developed among the welcoming area organists, who for the most part were members of the recently formed North Shore Chapter of AGO. Our move to “Heavenston” (Frances Willard’s coinage) from Bound Brook, NJ was prompted by Morgan’s joint appointment at First Methodist Church in Evanston and Garrett Theological Seminary. Mary joined him at the church as Associate Organist.
This was the church music scene in those early years: First Presbyterian (Richard Enright), First Baptist (Jack Goode), First Congregational (Bill Hazlett), St. Luke’s (John Boe), Millar Chapel ( Grigg Fountain), Glenview Community (Margaret Budd), North Shore Congregation Israel (Maggie Kemper), Church of the Holy Comforter in Kenilworth (George McClay). William H. Barnes was still active at that time and played an annual organ recital at the Garrett Chapel on the organ, which he had donated.
Our Guild memberships were soon renewed (We’d been student members during our undergraduate years at DePauw and the U of I) and we were delighted with the friendly acceptance of the North Shore membership. Among our early memories of Guild programs was a children’s choir festival at First Methodist with Helen Kemp of Choristers’ Guild fame as the guest conductor. The caliber of programming was impressive with a number of joint chapter sponsorship with Northwestern of world class performers. At different times both Morgan and Mary were privileged to serve as Dean of the Chapter. Later Morgan was active at the national level as Director of the Development Committee and later as Treasurer and Councilor for Finance and Development.
In June of 1968 we left First Methodist to become Organist and Choirmaster and Associate Organist of Fourth Presbyterian in Chicago and Associate Organist in September of that year. Morgan continued as Assistant Professor of Church Music and Worship at Garrett/Evangelical Seminary until 1977. After almost 28 wonderful years at Fourth Church we retired in March of 1996. In the intervening years we have continued to be blessed by our association with our Chapter friends.