Martha Matthews
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Janet L. Van Valey
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Current Ringers
Melissa 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.
For many years, Linda considered herself a Kalamazoo Ringer “groupie”, attending all the in-town concerts as a faithful audience member, admiring not only the group’s ringing expertise but also the difficulty of the music repertoire. In January of 2003, when she was asked to try a long-term substitute ringer position with the group, she accepted with much hesitation and trepidation. Having to quickly learn fifteen pieces of hard music as a sub in order to get ready to play in a concert, was the challenge of a lifetime for Linda. However, since that time she has been a part of the Kalamazoo Ringer team for sixteen years! In the process, she's met some wonderful new friends, learned to step beyond her musical comfort zone, and grow in her mastery of new ringing skills. She taught 7th and 8th grade Social Studies at Portage West Middle School until she retired in 2017 to become a full time “granny nanny” for her first baby grandson. Now, two years later, Linda still has the job of her dreams watching her second grandson, too! For 42 years, she’s been married to the most wonderful man in the whole world, and they now have five grandchildren. God is so good! Besides ringing and directing three hand bell choirs at her church, she also enjoys teaching swimming, gardening, driving the family pontoon boat, reading, and chasing grandkids. She’ll see you all at the next Kalamazoo Ringer’s Concert!
Holly joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2014. She started playing bells in her Detroit church in 1973 and has remained passionate about her bell choir participation for years. Holly holds degrees in Business Management and Social Work from EMU. In 2010 Holly decided to make Kalamazoo her home. Holly enjoys working outside her home and has three cats.
John joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2015. He has been playing handbells off and on since 1984. He played French horn in an army band and was a band director before going back to school to start a career as a mechanical engineer. Currently, he works at Conn-Selmer in Elkhart, Indiana, where musical instruments are made. In his spare time he enjoys reading, music, and spending time with his wife and their cats.
Julie 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.
Carla 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.
Larry 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, raking leaves, shoveling snow, coffee, coffee, and coffee.
Karol joined the Kalamazoo Ringers as a charter member in 1981. She has three daughters and seven grandchildren. In the summer time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends at her place on Lake Erie. She is retired from the Portage School system.
Cari joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2017. She began ringing bells in her church handbell choir as a substitute, before ringing full time. She received her bachelors and masters degrees in music education from
Western Michigan University. Currently, she teaches fifth grade in Paw Paw,
Michigan. In her spare time she enjoys playing the piano, singing, reading
books, golfing, and watching football. She also enjoys spending time with Ryan and their dog Birdie.
Sarai (pronounced Sara) joined Kalamazoo Ringers in 2017. As a Minister of Music at First Presbyterian church in Niles MI, she is also the organist and directs the choir and handbells. When not making music, Sarai loves to read and spend time with family. A self-avowing health nut, she enjoys cooking and exercise, especially swimming and biking.
Nancy joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2011 after playing in her church handbell choir for many years. She is an active member of the Kalamazoo Weavers Guild and after retiring after a long career in information technology is interested in a variety of other arts and crafts such as sewing, knitting and beading. She and her husband have two adult daughters.
Mary joined Kalamazoo Ringers as a handbell ringer in 2019. She has played flute with KR for many years. She has played handbells with her church choir since 1991. She and her husband Matt have 4 children. The youngest just graduated high school and their oldest will be getting married in 2020. Mary graduated from WMU with a Bachelor of Science and a minor in music. She then went to KVCC for her RN associate degree and worked as a RN until her 3rd child was born. Mary now (along with her mother) owns a longarm quilting business, where she designs and makes custom quilts, and also quilts other people’s quilt tops. Mary and her husband enjoy spending time outside camping, kayaking, walking their two dogs, and hiking. Mary also loves cooking, baking, gardening, wine tasting, and running.
Chris 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 she is the library assistant at a local high school. When not making music, she enjoys outdoor activities with her family.
Karen joined the Kalamazoo Ringers in 2013. She began ringing bells with her youngest daughter in a bell group at church. Karen teachers 8th grade Language Arts in Paw Paw where she has taught since 1991. In her spare time Karen enjoys reading, going to the beach, spending time with her 3 daughters, Jennifer, Stephanie, and Katie, and traveling with her new husband, Kevin.
Former Kalamazoo Ringers
| Diane Belote Carolyn Biles Steve Borik Cindra Burnside Norma Collison Russell Cooper Eloise Crocker Kate Davis Jody Dawson Melissa Dusseljee Brittany Ego Lisa Ferris-McCann Gayle Finder Linda Fisher Paul Flyger 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 Kathie McLeod Carol Merrill Ryan Minier Russ O’Brian |
Jesse Olson Tracy Ore Ellen Page-Robin Amy Pierce Deb Rafferty Steve Rose Bill Rowe Sally Rowe Judy Shamu Jeff Shaw Bridgit Smith Andrew Stange Lola Thompson Jim Thompson Sheri Thompson Tisa Thompson |
Trevan Thompson Jan Urfer Tom Van Valey Terry Vantine Lori Vitale Laura Whitcomb Wendy Whittle Pam Wiersma Kathy Winchell Margaret Woodhams Barb Woodrow Steve Worsham Alexis Young Marie Zuidema |