The following people represent some of my good memories from church choir over the years:

Gerald sang tenor with me, but sometimes marched to a different drum, musically and lyrically, leaving me to wonder: “What’s he singing?”

When I wore my Russian Ushanka in winter, Gerald gave me a bear hug (he did resemble Kruschev). I exclaimed: “Vladimir!” and he exclaimed: “Sonovavitch!” (One person can make a difference; and so can one letter, particularly that second “v” in “sonovavitch.”)

My father Bernard Williams always said: “From the ridiculous to the sublime,” so now, on to two older couples who epitomized “Virginia gentlemen and ladies.”

Walter and Maude: Walter, an official at Dan River Mills, passed away some years ago (before Dan River Inc.’s passing); but Maude’s name still appears in the “concerns” section of the bulletin of Danville’s First Presbyterian Church, the major site of my choir recollections.

Walter was tall, thin and soft-spoken (singing a cultured bass); and Maude is likewise (minus the bass). She didn’t sing in choir but was present at many choir functions. Since both my late wife and I sang in choir, Maude hosted our young daughter Rachel in the congregation.

Walter and Virginia: This Walter was also a Dan River official, and his wife Virginia taught piano. Virginia sang with the choir, but not Walter. Before my daughter Rachel studied piano at Appalachian and Florida State, she began with her mother, Diane, then Virginia.

Virginia’s students’ piano recitals were always an extra treat (besides the music), because Virginia hosted them in her beautiful Country Club home. Following the recital and delicious hors d’oeuvres, students who had brought their bathing suits could attend a pool party in Walter and Virginia’s swimming pool.

As Walter worked in his yard one day, a man robbed him at gunpoint. Walter, ever a gentleman, said he would be glad to help him get a job and get back on his feet; but the robber, not thinking of the long term, turned down Walter’s gracious offer and was caught by police the next day. The criminal probably never reflected that a gentleman had offered him a chance to also become a gentleman; but by then, it was too late.

Next: “Bob, Carol, Charles, and Carol,” friendly couples who went many places together, though not as “friendly” as those couples portrayed in the famous 1969 film of partially similar name.

The same Charles directed the choir between directors and was superior to them! At one time, he also directed the Danville Symphony Orchestra (in which my son Jeremy plays percussion). After Charles was no longer choir director and while he was still symphony conductor, I would shake his hand following concerts, expressing how well the orchestra sounded, and as a matter of my own personal tradition, always added “And you’re still the best G-dd-mned choir director I ever had!” (Traditions are what they are.)

Another choir member, John, became peaked if anyone wore his robe, so he attached a note to it, reminiscent of a “Valley of the Kings curse.” After “pinning” that note, John joined another church, and no one has yet dared claim his “accursed” robe.

My late wife Diane’s favorite hymn was “Be Thou My Vision,” and upon hearing it, I can imagine her sitting in her choir robe in the soprano section.

Beverly, dying from cancer, also played the “Cantique de Jean Racine” on cello a few weeks before death; so when the choir sings that anthem, I think of her.

Ray is always late, and one evening much later, having picked up a huge tray of banana pudding from a local diner for the choir’s enjoyment (following practice).

On Christmas Eve, Tom’s breath smells like my mother’s did following Communion; but she was Lutheran, whereas Presbyterians use grape juice.

Rufus was the reliable “workhorse” of the tenor section.

Stan, a French professor, taught me “The Palms” phonetically, which I still sing today.

In another choir, Shirley was an African-American lady who at Eastertime always brought the white director a white chocolate bunny.

Shirley sang tenor with me, and I heard a lady singing bass in a Caswell County gospel group. Nothing was said about either, and I don’t think there is yet any proposed legislation saying that male and female choristers must remain in their traditional vocal sections. One tenor, Alan, did say that due to age he would be singing with the bass section on anthems containing high-pitched tenor parts, but singing tenor on everything else, proudly proclaiming himself “bi-sectional!”

Our minister recently mentioned a church member passed from the “Church Militant” to the “Church Triumphant.”

The same goes for many of my dear choir friends mentioned here, for some years now, members of the “Choir Triumphant.”