By Ralphine Major

ralphine3@yahoo.com

I sat behind her in choir practice one Wednesday night.  Our brief exchange was about her upcoming wedding.  Angela was home for the summer from her position at Georgetown College where she taught voice.  It was a few years before when I first heard Dr. Angela Easterday sing.  She was in town on a  weekend visit and was the featured soloist one Sunday morning.  The late Bruce Forlines introduced her and said that when he first came to Wallace Memorial as minister of music, Angela was only five years old.   Her beautifully trained, strong voice belted out the lyrics to “Were You There” as her mother accompanied her on the piano.

Our family was more acquainted with Jack and Carol Easterday, Angela’s parents.  Once, when we raved about Angela’s amazing voice, Jack—displaying his usual humor—told us that it cost him $10,000 a note!  We were delighted to attend the July wedding of Dr. Angela Easterday and Dr. Tim Holder at Wallace Memorial Baptist Church in 2003.  Over time we cultivated a friendship with the music professor and the history professor, though at times our paths seldom crossed at all.  After our mother’s heart attack, a friend shared with us that Angela had inquired about her health.  We learned that was typical of Angela.  Christmas cards have always been right on time from the Holders, whether I got ours mailed or not.

Several years ago on a Saturday morning, my brother and I were at Barnes & Noble for a book signing.  Our very first children’s picture book featuring our trademark character, “Piddle Diddle, the Widdle Penguin” had just been published.  It was a most unexpected surprise when the Holder and Easterday families showed up at our table!  Angela even made a picture of Carol and Jack with a “penguin” that day!  Their presence and time spent visiting meant the world to us.  (To be continued)