Blessed is this Music Maker…
When the church organist skipped town on a Friday, the then fourteen-year-old Joyce Duffield stepped up to the console for Sunday services. She has been playing, as well as composing for us for a total of 32 years. Joyce Duffield Morrow will be our visiting organist following her recently announced retirement.
Joyce left our chancel
for college at UC Berkeley and marriage to Alan Morrow. They followed his
military career 
to
Washington State, France, Maryland, Germany, Texas and Panama. During this part
of her life, Joyce played in Post chapels, once doing Lutheran, then Catholic
then Presbyterian services in a row each Sunday. In the Panama Canal zone,
Joyce drove the bus to pick up Greek Orthodox youngsters, led their choir – in
Greek – and then drove them home again. One Christmas Joyce played for six
services all while coming down with the chicken pox.
The family, now including daughters Louise and Lydia, returned to civilian life and Sebastopol in 1975. The following year Joyce resumed our organist position. In addition, she launched our bell choir and directed the bells for four years. Joyce also took part in dramatic productions, once playing God in a children’s musical. Beside church duties, Joyce took private students and developed a community choir through Analy Night School.
“Blessed are the Peacemakers” is the major work we all remember – the Cantata Joyce composed, Gail Thomas wrote and Barbara Wilson edited. Joyce said she read Gail’s words and the melodies just came to her! She has composed music for organ, piano and instrumental groups.
Joyce described her life as the best of two worlds – family and music. Besides raising her two daughters, Joyce and Alan became guardians of their grandsons. She also nursed her husband and both parents in their final years.
In retirement, Joyce looks forward to quiet time to write both music and words (children’s literature). She delights in her private students (voice and piano) and her “bevy of friends” in the church. We delight in sharing her many and generously shared talents.
Elyse Mengle,
Moderator
