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South Puget Sound (Olympia) New Horizons Band

treble clef In Memoriam treble clef

notes Skip Harlan notes
March 20, 2003

notes Harry Barner notes
May 16, 2004

notes Mel Harlan notes
October 25, 2006

notes Judy Thiers notes
January 5, 2007

notes Maxine Bell notes
February 13, 2010

notes Chan Sogge notes
February 20, 2012

notes James (Jay) Bass notes
May 22, 2012

notes Bob Metcalf notes
February 7, 2013

notes Glenn Hough notes
October 23, 2013

notes Fred Knox notes
April 20, 2013

notes Michael Jackman notes
May 18, 2013

notes Sina Clauson notes
August 4, 2013

notes Jim Binkerd notes
January 31, 2015

notes Jerry Hendricks notes
December 14, 2015

notes Suzanne Hornbuckle notes
September 9, 2015

notes Joel Talerico notes
December 31, 2015

notes R. B. Bernd notes
January 26, 2016

notes Paul Eddy notes
August 27, 2016

notes Jan McKenzie notes
May 24, 2017

notes Nate Crook notes
December 24, 2017

notes Larry Edison notes
January 24, 2018

notes Fred Richards notes
April 21, 2018

notes Joan Smythe notes
June 17, 2018

notes Dale Burtner notes
August 22, 2019

notes Rick Hittinger notes
January 24, 2022

notes Clark Christine notes
May 3, 2022

notes Ken Lewis notes
August 13, 2022

notes Arden Roberts notes
August 24, 2022

notes Al Rettenmier notes
September 7, 2022

notes Bob Read notes
October 23, 2022


Skip Harlan

Skip Harlan "Farewell..."

A very sad note resounded throughout the ONHB's musical family with the death (on March 20, 2003) of one of our charter members, Skip Harlan.
Skip had been with the band since its very first meeting in April, 1999. She joined with the goal of learning to play the cello. Even though she had always loved music and had sung with many choirs, the cello was brand new to her. She made remarkable progress in the four years of her experience with our band, as well as through other learning opportunities and private lessons. (Soon, her husband, Mel, joined the trumpet section of the ONHB and they made it a shared venture.)

She always came ready to play and to participate in various band activities. Her puckish sense of humor often came to the fore, and she loved it when Director Vic Jowders would teasingly say, "Hold it down, Skip. You're drowning out the brass section!"

Though health problems had beset her in recent years and slowed her physically, her strong spirit and enthusiasm for life never wavered, and she continued to play her music until the last weeks of her life. We will miss that spirit and enthusiasm. We will miss her music. We will miss our friend.

Skip especially liked a piece of music called The Chimes of Liberty - so much so that she purchased it for the band. It will now be dedicated to her memory with a special inscription.

Harry Barner

Harry Barner "I'd rather be sailing"

Members of the Olympia New Horizons Band were saddened to learn of the death of former member, Harry Barner, on May 16, 2004. Harry played cornet with the band for several years, leaving only when he moved to Eastern Washington. Even after his move, he took every opportunity to sit in with the band whenever he returned to Olympia for visits.

Harry was an enthusiastic, loyal member of the New Horizons Band, who enjoyed the music and the camaraderie. He will be remembered with respect and fondness.

The band dedicated the musical arrangement Emblem of Freedom in his memory.

Mel Harlan

Mel Harlan "A good and gentle man..."

With sorrow, we learned on October 25, 2006, of the death of our friend, Mel Harlan.

Mel had been a dedicated, active member of the band almost from its beginning in 1999. His wife, Skip, (who preceded him in death in 2003) was a charter member of the Olympia New Horizons Band. She encouraged him to reclaim the trumpet he'd first played more than forty years earlier, and join in the musical fun we were all having.

In addition to his work as a printer and photographer with the State Department of Transportation, Mel developed a wide variety of interests and activities, including fishing (first and foremost), scuba diving, aircraft, music, and traveling in the United States, and beyond. He was devoted to his family members and their own individual activities. Mel participated fully in the band --as he did in life-- in his own comfortably quiet, behind-the-scenes, supportive way.

With his kind heart and boyish grin, he was a friend to everyone who knew him. Mel was one of those people who, without even realizing it, make the world a better place.

The ONHB has added to its repertoire "Red's White and Blue March" by Red Skelton, a favorite of Mel's, as a special song to honor his memory.

Judy Thiers

Judy Thiers "She died as she lived -- with strength and a love for life, surrounded by her family..."

Judy Thiers left us on January 5, 2007.

Judy and her husband, Ralph, were instrumental in advising Vic Jowders to start the Olympia New Horizons Band, and both were original New Horizons Band members in Olympia. We owe them immeasurable gratitude for their vision, support, and encouragement in helping get our wonderful group off the ground.

Judy met Ralph at a square dance in Boston in 1952, and they wed in 1954. They remained deeply in love throughout their marriage. Judy expressed her love for others in many ways, but especially through cooking and music. Judy played the piano throughout her life, at home in duets with Ralph on clarinet, and as part of informal ensembles entertaining around the area. She enthusiastically took up the bass drum later in life so she could help breathe life into our New Horizons Band.

With her sweet smile and joy in life, she was fun to be around. She was always trying to figure out ways to help others, to make them feel better. Even when she was losing her battle with Parkinson's and Lewy bodies attacking her physical body, she never stopped caring. To the end, she was a loving, caring lady. We miss her.

Maxine Bell

Maxine Bell "Maxine was a loving, courageous, giving soul with a passion for life, family, and music."

Maxine Bell passed peacefully on February 13, 2010, after a gradual decline in health.

Maxine was a wonderful bassoon player, and was with our Olympia band for several years. Even though she was unable to play her bassoon with us in the last couple of years, she would still visit whenever she had the strength, to listen to us and encourage us.

Maxine was multi-talented, and a tireless volunteer in various community organizations. She was an army veteran, medically retired after 5 years, as well as a student who went on to earn a diploma in airline careers, a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice, and a Bachelor of Education degree with an emphasis in history.

Maxine played in other musical groups, including the American Legion Band, as well as being our bassonist for many years. We will miss her expertise, her laughter, and her love.

The band is dedicating the beautiful piece "Panis Angelicus" in memory of our sweet and talented friend.

Chan Sogge

Chan Sogge
"Truly a Renaissance Man"

Chan Sogge passed away on February 20, 2012. He was a member of our Olympia band from the beginning of 2007 until illness forced him to stop playing in the spring of 2011. Participating in making music was something he enjoyed, whether he was playing his baritone horn with us or singing baritone in his church's choir.

Ronald Chandler Sogge was a well-known innovative architect and busy volunteer in our community, a leader in many ways. He was deeply involved with the YMCA, United Way, Lacey Rotary Club, Lacey Historical Society, and was an elder for his church. He had been a track star at the University of Oregon, where he met his wife of 53 years, Margaret, and he served overseas in the Army before completing his degree and embarking on a 40 year career as an architect.

He will be remembered as a devoted father and husband, a gifted designer, artist, mechanic, carpenter, musician, athlete, and civic leader - truly a Renaissance Man. He was adored by his family and friends and is sorely missed.

The band has dedicated "Irish Tune from County Derry" to Chan's memory.

Robert (Bob) Metcalf

"Bob never stopped learning and laughing."

Bob loved to laugh and his hearty laugh was stilled on February 7, 2013. Bob dusted off the clarinet he played in Junior High and Joined the band in 1997. Being a part of the band brought him many moments of laughter which was contagious.

An unstable childhood in California did not deter him from pursuing his love of learning. After serving for a time in the Merchant Marines and the Army, he went to Junior College where earned a degree in Art and Social Studies. It was here he met Elizabeth (Betty) Bolton who became his wife.

Bob earned his teaching degree from San Francisco State College and later a Master's Degree in Business Administration and a Doctorate in Education. He was a professor ob business at community colleges in Lakewood and Vancouverk, Washington.

In 1987, Bob and Betty moved into their Airstream trailer and for ten years were "fulltimers traveling the US and many other countries.

When they moved to the Land Yacht Harbor, he joined the band, bringing to rehearsals his enthusiasm, outgoing friendly manner, and his unforgettable laughter.

The band has dedicated "The Dambusters" to Bob's memory, and has also dedicated "Moon River" to the memory of his wife Betty, a staunch and constant supporter of the band's activities, who passed away in 2014.

Glenn Hough

"A socks and sandals gentleman."

Glenn was born in Indiana in 1928. He graduated from Purdue University receiving a B.A. in Agricultural Engineering. He played percussion in Purdue's Marching and Symphonic Band.

After graduation he served with the Army in Korea and was the company's drummer.

After moving around every few years while working for the USDA Soil Conservation Service, Glenn and his wife moved to Olympia in 1974. He met R.B. and Zelma Bernd while singing in the First Methodist Church Chancel Choir, and with their encouragement joined the Olympia New Horizons Band in 2008, playing the bass drum. He played in the band for four years.

Glenn died in 2013 and he is missed. The band dedicated the march "Independentia" in his memory.

Fred Knox

"A true tuba man, through and through"

Fred passed on April 20, 2013 at the age of 88. He was an active member of the Tacoma NHB and at times played with the Olympia NHB as well as in other local bands. Fred was well liked and loved to jam with trumpets and trombones playing Dixieland. He and his horn will be missed in the tuba section.

Fred was a career soldier and spent much of his army life in Germany. While there, he would play at local brew houses in German bands where he learned to love the oomph music.

Fred and his wife lived in Tacoma and had a time share in Mexico. Fred would find people to donate their old instruments to him, and he would have them refurbished. When they traveled to Mexico, he would take the instruments down to Mexican schools and donate them to the music department.

His passion in band was at its best when he had a new tuba player come into the section. He would take him under his wing and help with understanding the tuba and how to play it and how the tuba fit into the band's music.

We have dedicated "Zacatecas" to Fred's memory.

Sina Clauson

"Sina was a gentle soul that never complained and made you feel better after talking to her."

In March, 1996, the first New Horizons Band in Washington State was fortunate to have Sina Clauson as one of their three founding directors, along with her husband David and friend Vic Jowders. Sina brought many skills to the new band in Tacoma.

She was a veteran teacher in a number of school districts throughout her 25-year career, culminating as an elementary band specialist in the North Thurston School District. Sina also performed as the principal clarinetist with the Olympia Symphony Orchestra for many years.

In addition Sina had a gift for connecting in a positive way with people of all ages. Everyone who played with Sina in ensembles, band, and orchestra has benefitted from her knowledge and skill as she gently inspired us to become better musicians.

Sina passed away on August 4, 2013 at the age of 71.

R.B. (Roy) Bernd

"R.B. was totally dedicated to his family and interests he served."

R. B. Bernd, a man of strong convictions, put his family above his many other pursuits in life. Despite his determination to win his battle with cancer, he lost the battle on January 26, 2016. He was a native Washingtonian attending Eastern Washinton State College where both he and his future wife, Zelma, played clarinet in the band.

He never lost his passion for music and being part of a musical group. By the time he joined the Olympia New Horizons Band he was proficient on the Contra Alto Clarinet and could effectively transpose other instrumental parts when needed. Even though you may not have seen him, you sensed his presence.

R.B. served in the Marines and the Army Signal Corps in the States and overseas, retiring after 29 years as a LT. Colonel. After retirement he became active in the Wally Byam Caravan Club, Int. (Airstream Club) leading national caravans and as President of groups on the local and regional levels.

R.B. leaves behind found memories of his participation in band and we remember him not only as the "guy with the monster clarinet," but as a Christian, family man, Airstreamer and friend.

We are dedicating the "National Emblem March" to R.B's memory.

Gerald (Jerry) Hendricks

"Our Olympia New Horizons Band Founding Father...and so much more."

Jerry Hendricks was among the seventeen musicians who were present the day the New Horizons Band in Lacey was formed, and the band was to remain his passion for the rest of his life.

As a youth Jerry was proud to have attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit, as it had the reputation of having the best band in the state of Michigan. Like many New Horizons members his formal musical training ended when he graduated from high school. But, when he came back to music after a forty-year break, the quality of training he had received in the 1950s was soon evidenced by how quickly and well he recovered his playing skills.

After high school, Jerry graduated from Cal State University in Long Beach, CA and became a licensed civil engineer. He married and raised a family while moving through a series of engineering jobs in the public sector that eventually brought him to the Olympia area. Jerry eventually left his position as the senior Thurston County Engineer to become an engineering project manager for the State before he retired in 2003.

In 1984 Jerry married again. Carolyn played the piano, and she and Jerry would occasionally get together for duets. She recognized that Jerry really wanted to be able to play with a larger group, but it was not until 1999, when she encouraged Jerry to respond to a news article about the forming of a local New Horizons Band that playing with a group became a reality. Following his lead, Carolyn was also to become a long-time member of the band.

Once he saw how enjoyable the Lacey band was, Jerry went on to play with a number of other area groups, including the Tacoma New Horizons Band, the Capitol Area Concert Band, the American Legion Band, the Lakewood Community Jazz Band, and community symphony orchestras in both Lakewood and Olympia. He also played with the Capitol Woodwind Chamber Ensemble, the Antique Sax Quartet, and two Dixieland jazz bands, Special Session and The DixieKats.

Jerry took his position as the Olympia New Horizons Concertmaster very seriously. When prospective band members called to get more information on the band it would be his number they dialed, and he was very persuasive in coaxing new members into the fold. He made it a special point to get to know everyone in the band, and never missed an opportunity to interact with fellow band members. He took on other leadership roles as well, becoming our longtime Band Board Chair and enthusiastically supporting the summertime Band Camps that became a tradition every third year. For several years he also represented the West Coast region on the New Horizons International Music Association Board of Directors.

Truly, no one could have been more supportive of New Horizons than Jerry was, and he was always the first to arrive for rehearsals and the last to leave. He was a friend to all, the person who helped everyone out and buoyed their spirits. In a way, he represented the heart and soul of the band.

Jerry was on record in 2010 as saying, "I am enjoying the best time of my life, thanks to New Horizons music." But then, just three short years later, he began having memory problems. At first they were not noticeable to band members, but tests soon confirmed he was a victim of Alzheimer's disease. He began struggling with mundane problems like getting his instrument together and keeping his music in order. Still, when the playing began it was sometimes hard to tell anything was wrong, for the music would just pour out of his horn the way it always had. Until May 2014 Jerry continued to hold down his seat as principal clarinetist but finally, at that time, had to give up playing altogether.

We felt it only too appropriate to dedicate our "Benny Goodman" medley to Jerry's memory.

Jan McKenzie

"Jan was an amazing, joyful person who loved learning and giving of herself."

Jan McKenzie died at age 96 on May 24 of 2017. She was a resourceful lady who had many talents and a thirst for learning new things. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1943 with degrees in Forestry and Botany. She was one of the first women to work as a fire spotter for the Forest Service. She worked for the Governor's office. She taught Biology and Ecology Labs and volunteered at St. Martin's University for 20 years.

She was active in the Red Cross and Girl Scouts. She routinely hiked rugged mountain trails with the Tuesday Trotters, even into her last year. She took Japanese language classes in her 90's. She was a spinner and knitter, and also demonstrated tatting at the Thurston County Fair for years. Jan loved music and was the organist at Sacred Heart Parrish, Lacey, for 23 years. She learned to play flute in her 70's and was an original member of the Olympia New Horizons band. She remained a key member of the flute section in our band up to her final year.

We have dedicated "Arioso" to Jan's memory.

Nate Crook

"His heart was in being a musician and proud military veteran."

Nate Crook, longtime baritone sax player in the Tacoma and Olympia bands, and loving husband of Ruth Crook, tenor sax player in our band, passed away on December 24, 2017.

Nate loved playing saxophones, and played with different groups most of his life. He was in a special ensemble while in the military, and kept it up the rest of his life. He had a huge heart and a great laugh, and brought smiles to all with his great stories. His ability to listen and encourage other musicians will always be appreciated.

We have dedicated the "Armed Forces Salute" to Nate's memory.

Joan Smythe

"A lady of grace and encouragement."

Joan, one of our Olympia band's charter members, died peacefully on Sunday morning, June 17, 2018. Most of us remember Joan as a proficient musician, one of the stalwarts of our New Horizons bands (both Olympia and Tacoma). She was the sweet, multi-talented red-headed trumpet player who also kept track of all of our Olympia band shirt needs (our "uniform" shirts were dark green polos for years, then purple ones) until a few years ago. She also brought and arranged flowers for the tables for special events like band camp.

She was a bright, thoughtful mainstay of the band, always ready to lend a hand, and her input helped make our organization what it is today. Even after she had to stop participating because of illness a couple of years before her death, she kept up on our activities through the e-mails to the end.

We have dedicated "Chicago" to her memory.

If you have comments or corrections, please type the e-mail address from the image below in the "TO" line of your e-mail, and put "Memoriam" in the "SUBJECT" line. Thank you.

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This page last updated on October 31, 2022


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