Zimmerman Update as of July 28

[patyrn]

I took piano lessons from the time I started 1st grade until I was a junior in high school, so that would have been 1955-1965.  Going to lessons was the highlight of my week--I loved playing the piano and still do.  When I started lessons, Mary Caroline had her studio in the upstairs of the First National Bank (which is where the Howard State Bank now sits.)  The stairs were very, very steep and tall  and dark (and scary) from a 5-year-old's perspective, but every week I trudged all by myself to lessons.  If you turned left at the top of the stairs, you would find Drs. Frank and Richard Reid's dentist office.  To the right were the piano studio and several other "mysterious locked doors".  I never knew what else was up in that tall building. 

I suppose she moved her studio to the funeral home garage when they tore the  building down and moved across the street and prepared to build the  Howard National Bank on that site.  I don't remember when that was.  That must have been a real job to transport the heavy upright piano out of her upstairs studio to move to the other location.

The spring piano recitals were quite an event for all of Mary Caroline's students.  Everyone was required to MEMORIZE one solo piece and perform a duet with another student.  They were held in the First Baptist Church which had two nice spinet pianos which could be moved to the front of the sanctuary for the "big night performance".  I know several students who would quit taking lessons  before the recital time came because it was such a traumatic experience for them to have to get up in front of a crowd AND memorize.  The church was always full on recital night.  It was a special time for me leaving many fond memories. 

[Diane Amberg]

 I too, took piano for many years and loved playing, but hated to practice and hated my first piano teacher.  He gave good lessons but he was a lecherous old man of the worst kind.  He also gave lessons to 3 of my girlfriends and when we compared notes, it seemed we were all having problems with Mr. Octopus Hands.  We all rebelled and quit at the same time.  Mom found another wonderful teacher for my sister and me. But I still hated practicing and hated recitals.

[flo]

well, I started taking piano lessons, but HAD to quit.  Teacher told me if I didn't quit putting my own notes in she wouldn't teach me anymore so I QUIT.  I still do that and it's all because of being able to play by ear, which is not a bad thing.  Being able to listen to a song and sit down and pick it out saved a lot of money we didn't have on music.  Remember recitals and duets.  Can still, I think, play Waltz of the Flowers. and how bout the Blue Danube  (adding some of my own notes, of course  )

[Diane Amberg]

 I'd rather be you. I never learned to play by ear and I wish I could. 

[LShortt]

I don't know what the plans are for rebuidling.  It would only be speculation on my part just like the rest of you, as to what Lloyd's plans are for the new building.  Charlie does not seem to be included in the "knowledge" loop.  Possibly Signer's and Countryside Funeral Home might have some insight, as prospective new owners.  Purely a guess on my part would be why would there be anything but minimal personal living space within the new building, no one has lived at the funeral for several years.  Lloyd has made his home in Wichita since before he remarried.  As new owners, if I were given the options of to live on-site or off-site...I would choose off-site within the Howard area.  I would want to live close by, but still have the personal family privacy of living off-site.  It is not only important to live close-by as the owner...it is just as important to have the personal privacy away from the business.  They are entitled.

The old building.  When we bought the funeral home in the mid-70's there was an apartment above the brick garage.  At that time Velette Smith lived in the apartment and helped with answering the funeral home telephone and also quite often played the organ/piano for funeral services.  I guess you could say we inheirted Velette with the funeral home.  Bless her heart.   I can't remember when but many years later Velette moved to the nursing home.  Several years after Velette moved out there was a fire in the brick garage that started within the wiring of the apartment area.  No one lived in the apartment and we used it only for storage of junk.   I do not remember the exact date, but I DO remember that it was THE  day of Bessie Miller's funeral.  Someone should be able to come up with a date for that fire.

Now...the living quarters within the funeral home.  The basement area was large and strictly personal living space.  It consisted of a large living room & dining room, beautiful kitchen that was remodled in 1988, large utility room and a large room that was used for minimal storage.   The first floor of the funeral home was strictly business area.  Chapel, family room, music room, offices, garage, etc.  The second floor of the funeral home encompassed the casket selection room, embalming/prep room, large storage space, 2 more large walkin closet areas.  And the second floor also had private living space ... 2 large bedrooms and 1 large bathroom. 

I don't know how well Elwood Miller tracks these days...but Elwood would be an amazing source of "dates" for when all the building and additions were made onto the funeral home through the years.  Any other questions??

[Janet Harrington]

Now that you have told me the right name, it was Valette Smith that lived there and not a Mrs. Garrison.  I don't know where I got that from.  Some idle part of my brain, I guess.

Thank you, sunflower, for telling us how the funeral home was set up.  I remember the fire in the garage apartment.  I remember after the fire you guys had that building fixed back up to get the damage taken care of.