The Gateway Ringers

Gateway Members

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* Kim Amos is a charter member of the Gateway Ringers. She has been ringing bells since 1981 and has rung in groups in Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, and Germany. Kim is a doula (professional labor and birth support) and childbirth educator. She is married to Chris, has two children, Sarah and Bryan and a son-in-law, Bryan. Kim currently serves on the Executive Committee as Secretary.

Curtis Armstrong joined Gateway in the Spring of 2006. He is a software engineer at Boeing, and was married to Jennifer in July, 2007.

Marcia Barber has been ringing handbells since 1985 in various church and community choirs. She began ringing with the Gateway Ringers in the fall of 2007. Her daytime job is working for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, having moved to St. Louis for this job in spring, 2007. Marcia lives with her husband, Jim, in St. Charles and also loves playing computer games.

Peter Dahlstrom joined Gateway in the fall of 2002. He plays brass in the Air Force band and has rung in other community groups before coming to St. Louis.

* Andy Eversole has been ringing handbells since 1990. His musical family includes his wife, Patty, a Suzuki piano & trumpet teacher, and three musical children: Matthew (clarinet & saxophone), Kristen (flute & saxophone) and Ryan (violin). Andy daylights as an electrical engineer at Boeing.

Mopsi Hanley joined us in January, 2008. Mopsi is a retired CPA. She started ringing bells as a charter member of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church handbell choir in 2002. She is married to Jack. They have two married daughters and four grandchildren. And no, "Mopsi" isn’t her given name. It’s Martha Anne.

Don Hayman wears the most bizarre shirts of anyone on the face of this planet, and as such is forbidden to take a role on the concert dress committee. Don enjoys torturing bells of all sizes, specializing in March Malleting Madness, and is the proud keeper of Gurney, the official Gateway Dancing Rubber Chicken. Don is married to Wanda, our #1 roadie.

June Jones officially joined in January 2006. She is music director at St. Thomas UCC in Chesterfield. June works at St. Johns Mercy Medical Center; is married to Craig and has a daughter Molly and a son Tim. She is currently serving as Member-at-Large on Gateway's Executive Committee.

* Peggy "Carillon" Lohnes is a Charter Member of Gateway Ringers and currently serves as the group's Financial Manager and as Member-at-Large on Gateway's Executive Committee. She has been ringing bells since the early 1980's. Peggy is a Tax Advisor at Vantive Partners, is married to Bill, has three sons, two wonderful daughters-in-law, and three beautiful granddaughters.

Ruth McDonnell joined us in the fall of 2007. Ruth serves as a deaconess at Salem Lutheran Church and School in Affton, Missouri. She has a master's degree in theology from Concordia Seminary - St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in music education from James Madison University in Virginia. As member of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, she has served on national and area boards. Ruth was a founding member of the Magic of Bronze, a community handbell choir in Orlando, which she directed until moving to St. Louis in 2003. Ruth has taught handbell techniques and conducting at numerous workshops and has conducted massed ringing at festivals. She is also an avid solo ringer and flutist.

Amanda Morgan joined us in January, 2008. She is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, and currently works as a Service Rep for AT&T. Amanda has been ringing handbells since the early 1990's for several different groups, and is currently ringing with St. Paul's United Church of Christ.

Michelle Robins joined us in January, 2002, and previously served on the Executive Committee for four years.. She has rung since age 12. She is married to David and has two daughters. She has been voted Most Likely to Avoid the Bass Bells, and can occasionally be found wearing Mickey Mouse ears.

Diane Stout joined the group in January, 2004. She rings bells and sings in the choir at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, St. Louis and works for the Lutheran Association for Special Education. Diane also plays clarinet, alto recorder, sings in the choir, and takes dance classes as a hobby. Diane is married to Dennis, has three grown children and three grandchildren. Diane is currently serving as President-elect on Gateway's Executive Committee.

Jeff White has been ringing bells since 1983 and conducting them since 1986. He is music director and organist at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Louis, which has a 5-octave handbell choir. He is completing a Master of Church Music degree from Concordia Univeristy Wisconsin, with an emphasis in Organ. Jeff joined the Gateway Ringers in the Fall of 1999, and is currently serving as President on the Gateway Executive Committee. Jeff’s wife played bells at Holy Trinity, and his older son plays currently, as well as the tenor saxophone in Oakville Senior High’s marching/symphonic band. Jeff is a consultant with iBridge Solutions, on assignment at Mastercard..

* Carl Zimmerman is an original member of The Gateway Ringers. He began ringing handbells more than 30 years ago, when the church he attended was given a two octave set - his expertise on tower bells led to his being drafted as the first director of a brand new handbell choir, so all learned together. Since then he has rung in or directed several other handbell choirs, especially at his church home for the past 20 years - Webster Groves Presbyterian. He is a retired USAF weather officer, a retired computer systems analyst, the Webmaster for GCNA.org and TowerBells.org, a tenor in the St.Louis Symphony Chorus, and the expert to consult on the history and work of bellfounders in St.Louis. He and his wife are parents of two and grandparents of six.

**Past Directors**
Wim Blees (1995-1997)	Mark W. Lawson (1997-2003)	Nancy Helmich (2004-2007)

Last Update: 03/16/2008