Martha Matthews
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Janet L. Van Valey
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Current Ringers
Rhonda Pardue joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2021. She has played French horn and handbells since the mid-1980s. She was a mathematics teacher for many years and after going back to school, now works as a programmer for clinical trials research. She enjoys playing horn in the Grand Rapids Symphonic Band, reading, coffee, and golfing with her husband.
Melissa Kelley joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2010. She had been ringing about seven years in two different church handbell choirs. She is a single mom of a daughter and a son who also play handbells at church. She has taught gymnastics for the last 26+ years and enjoys all things crafty.
Kurt Stroh is so excited to be joining the KR family! He has been ringing handbells for 40+ years. He was a member of Embellish for several seasons and was the founding director of Bellistic! (Embellish’s former youth handbell ensemble). Currently, Kurt is the Director of Handbells at Park Congregational Church in downtown Grand Rapids. Kurt has been teaching for Northview Public Schools since 1990. He and his wife, Judi, enjoy gardening, camping, reading and spending time with their two kids, their two bonus kids, and their four grandsons.
Julie Jursinic joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2016. She has been ringing bells in her church choirs since 2008, including four years with her daughter. She retired in 2019 from leading the US nutrition labeling regulatory team at Kellogg’s in Battle Creek. She and her husband have two grown sons and enjoy spending time with them and their families, as well as their daughter. She also enjoys travel, gardening, volunteering, and reading.
Laura Smith joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2022. She has been ringing bells in various groups since 2005. She teaches middle school social studies in Holland, where she loves working alongside the spontaneity and quirkiness of adolescents. In her spare time, Laura enjoys traveling, being an aunt, and attempting to garden. Her favorite activity is reading books on the couch with her husband, their three cats, and a cozy mug of tea.
Before 2003, Linda Holzwarth considered herself a Kalamazoo Ringer “Groupie”, always in the audience admiring each ringer. In January, 2003, Linda’s life changed and has never been the same. She was asked to be a long-term sub for a KR ringer and here she is, more than 20 years later, ringing with this most amazing and fun group of people! Since retiring from teaching middle school social studies and English, she has become a full time Granny Nanny for two of her eight grandchildren. She and her husband, Dave, spend much of their time visiting and playing with their growing grandbabies. Besides ringing with KR and directing two bell choirs at church, Linda enjoys gardening, driving the family pontoon boat, teaching swimming lessons, and spending time with Dave. They will joyfully celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in the summer of 2027. See you all at the next Kalamazoo Ringers concert!
Larry Sue joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2019 after participating as a long-term sub for the latter half of the 2018-2019 season. He has played handbells since 1987, playing any position on the table but specializing in ringing bass. He was the conceptual founder and leader of Low Ding Zone, the World's First Bass-Only Handbell Ensemble, and is the author of the Bass Ringer's Notebook. He is also a composer and festival clinician and runs Choraegus, an online music company.
In 2016, he retired from a 35-year software engineering career and moved to Holland, Michigan where he and his wife Carla, also a KR member, are now ringing professionals who create and perform music for eight handbells as West Michigan's Smallest Handbell Choir.
In addition to handbells, his interests include developing websites, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, coffee, coffee, and coffee.
Sam (Samantha Macaire) joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2023 after being a “groupie” for 12 years! She started playing handbells when she was in fifth grade and has fallen in love with the art of it all. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, listening to podcasts and spending time with her family and friends.
Linda Woldring (Or perhaps … Our second Linda) joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2023. She rang bells in middle school, then once her kids were grown, started up again in 2008 with her church bell choir. She retired from software project management in 2014, and now loves spending time reading, making quilts, going for walks (especially with friends!), and camping. She and her husband have two grown sons who live nearby with their wonderful families.
Jackie Stigler is Director of Music at First United Methodist Church in beautiful downtown Kalamazoo where she oversees the choral ensembles, handbell choir, 2nd Sunday Jazz service and the children’s ensemble. She is also the director of one of the longest running women’s ensembles in the country, the Kalamazoo Community Chorale. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance from the University of Louisville and a Master of Music degree in Organ and Church Music from Indiana University. She loves to garden, renovate her beautiful, old but new to her home and hang out with bass bell ringer Bernie Foulk and her three great kids, Carsten, Drew and Avery.
Carla Sue joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2019 after being a sub for the latter half of the 2018-19 season. She started playing handbells in England in 1987, and moved to California in 2012, where she began playing duets with her husband Larry. They moved to Holland, Michigan in 2016 and are now enjoying life together as a professional handbell duo. When she's not busy with music-related activities, Carla enjoys the Michigan winters (the colder the better!), drinking excessive amounts of coffee, and providing online support (via Facebook) to people in long-distance relationships.
Chris Teugh joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2008. She was introduced to handbells in 1981 and played in several Colorado and Michigan choirs and ensembles. Chris has a background in chemical and pharmaceutical research but currently works in educational technology. When not making music, she enjoys outdoor activities with her family.
David Brown is a retired ordained American Baptist pastor and has had musical leadership in all of the churches he served. Presently, he plays trumpet in the Cereal City Concert Band in Battle Creek, and several other pick up
groups, like a German band called “The Hungry Five”.
He plays bells in the FUMC bell choir and sings in the FUMC chancel choir. He is happy to be playing bells in t he Kalamazoo Ringers!
David’s hobbies include working out at Planet Fitness, reading good books, traveling with his wife Susan, and playing with his three grandchildren. He also helps out occasionally at Tiny Giant Farm, his son’s organic vegetable farm.
In his retirement, David tunes pianos throughout the week and calls it his “new resurrection work” as he brings life and a happier sound back to pianos!
Steve Lieberman had almost completed a music degree (in saxophone) at Western Michigan University before he even knew what a handbell was. The handbell fever quickly took hold! He was previously a member of KR from 2011-2017, subbed in Spring 2025 and Spring 2026, and is glad to be back with his KR family starting Fall 2026. He earned BA (Music) and MS (Accountancy) degrees from WMU. He is one of 664 people who holds the World Record for Largest Handbell Ensemble since 2016 YouTube. In his free time he enjoys volunteering, hiking and gaming with friends, and needlework.
Former Kalamazoo Ringers
| Diane Belote Carolyn Biles Steve Borik Holly Borowiak Cindra Burnside Cari Croak Norma Collison Russell Cooper Eloise Crocker Kate Davis Jody Dawson Karol Dill Melissa Dusseljee Brittany Ego Lisa Ferris-McCann Gayle Finder Linda Fisher Paul Flyger Bernie Foulk |
Mary Galer Cathy Foune Dawn Garrett Rob Griffin Mary Hassing Jennifer Heeres Deb House Monica Hurley Susie Jabour Judy Jones Pam Katona Steve Lieberman Doug Lynes Scott Marsh Gary Matthews Kathie McLeod Carol Merrill Ryan Minier Melita Nevius |
Russ O’Brian Jesse Olson Tracy Ore Ellen Page-Robin Rhonda Pardue Amy Pierce Karen Polderdyke Deb Rafferty Nancy Reile Steve Rose Bill Rowe Sally Rowe Sarai St. James Judy Shamu Jeff Shaw Bridgit Smith Andrew Stange John Thomas Lola Thompson |
Jim Thompson Sheri Thompson Tisa Thompson Trevan Thompson Jan Urfer Tom Van Valey Terry Vantine Katherine Veronesi Lori Vitale Laura Whitcomb Wendy Whittle Pam Wiersma Kathy Winchell Margaret Woodhams Barb Woodrow Steve Worsham Allen Young Marie Zuidema |
