Gateway Musicians

Mouseover to see who’s who; click to jump to biography.

Dr. Cathy Benton, Director

Cathy Benton holds degrees from Jefferson College, Murray State University, Webster University, and the University of Missouri Kansas City. Dr. Benton retired in 2022 from Missouri Baptist University where she was Professor of Music. Dr. Benton teaches private piano, performs as a soloist and accompanist on the piano, organ, and harpsichord, and is an adjudicator and clinician for numerous keyboard festivals and workshops. She is the Music Director of the Gateway Ringers and adjunct piano instructor at Jefferson College. Teaching awards include Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, the National Guild of Piano Teachers Hall of Fame, the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award and the MBU Distinguished Professor Award.

Members

Current Members

• ♩ 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 retired doula (professional labor and birth support) and childbirth educator. She is married to Chris, has two children, Sarah and Bryan, a son-in-law, Bryan, a daughter-in-law, Tess, and grandsons Thomas, Liam, Declan, and Thad. Kim is currently serving as Secretary on Gateway’s Executive Committee.
• Alex Arensmeier joined us in 2023. He started playing youth handchimes in 2002 and quickly moved to the older group. Alex has played the saxophone since 2004 along with a variety of other instruments. He is currently serving as Member-At-Large on Gateway's Executive Committee.
• ♩ Andy Eversole has been ringing handbells since 1990 and is a charter member of the group. His musical family includes his wife, Patty, a Suzuki piano teacher, and three children and grand two grandchildren. Andy daylights as an electrical engineer at Boeing. Andy is currently serving as President on Gateway’s Executive Committee.
• 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 daughters and four grandchildren. And no, “Mopsi” isn’t her given name. It’s Martha Anne.
• Ian Harrier started ringing handbells in third grade in a church choir under the direction of his father. They continue to ring together to this day! He joined Gateway Ringers in 2021 at the recruitment of his wife, Kaitlyn. In addition to his work in IT, Ian has a love of audio engineering.
• Kaitlyn Harrier began ringing in a children’s tone chime choir at church over 20 years ago and joined Gateway in 2012. Her now-husband, Ian, first caught her attention because of his shared interest in handbells, and now they’ve loved getting to ring together with Gateway Ringers since 2021!
• Trish Jackson has been ringing with the Gateway Ringers for about 10 years and in church handbell groups for about 20 years. Trish holds a BA degree in education with a minor in Music. She currently works at Big Bend Vet Clinic. In addition to playing handbells, Trish loves reading, puzzles, and spending as much time as she can with her children and especially her grandchildren.
• Marilee Lukefahr joined the Gateway Ringers in August 2024. She grew up ringing handbells at Dardenne Presbyterian Church, and previously rang with First and Calvary Presbyterian Church in Springfield, MO and Trinity Presbyterian Church in Topeka, KS. Marilee is a percussionist and is married to a tuba player (Nick). She works at Maryville University and enjoys spending time with Nick and their three cats.
• Ruth McDonnell joined us in the fall of 2007. Ruth is a deaconess in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and teaches religion and music at Salem Lutheran School in Affton, MO. She has a PhD and 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 Handbell Musicians of America, 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 currently works at AT&T. Amanda has been ringing handbells since the early 1990s for several different groups, and is currently ringing with St. Paul’s United Church of Christ. When she’s not working or ringing she loves spoiling her two cats.
• Gabe Murphy began ringing handbells in his sophomore year of college with the MBU ringers at Missouri Baptist University. He later graduated with a Bachelors of Music Education and began teaching music, currently in the Fort Zumwalt School District. He joined the Gateway Ringers in January of 2023. He enjoys serving in his church by playing piano on the worship team and helping in the nursery.
• Angela Ohmie joined us in January 2016. She graduated from Concordia River Forest and has taught 2nd–4th grades and music. She previously rang with the Kansas City handbell ensemble Rezound! Angela is an organist at Chapel of the Cross St. Peters, works at Jan's Hallmark, and is the valet coordinator and team lead for the Just Between Friends St. Charles consignment sale. In her free time she enjoys watching Star Trek, Star Wars, playing games, and making music with her husband and their four daughters.
• Jesse Schryver joined us in August 2024. He rang handbells throughout middle and high school at Peace Lutheran Church, and joined the handbell choir at Trinity Lutheran Church in Soulard in 2023. He has also played the bassoon and saxophone in various school, church, and community bands. He is currently in his final year of pharmacy school at SIUE.
• Diane Stout began ringing handbells in her church in 1987 and joined Gateway in January 2004. She recently retired from her job as an administrative assistant and is now enjoying spending more time with her husband, three children, and five grandchildren.
• Lindsey Weidner graduated from Concordia University Nebraska with a Bachelors in Music Education and is where she met her husband. She played handbells throughout her time there, even conducting a local church handbell choir. She taught music in Alaska for seven years. There she taught preschool through 8th grade general music and handbells to the 7th and 8th graders. She currently teaches middle school math and science, but also sings in her church's praise team. Lindsey joined the Gateway Ringers in 2023, and is currently serving as Member-At-Large on Gateway's Executive Committee.
• Jeff White joined the Gateway Ringers in 1999, and is the Minister of Music and Organist at Trinity Lutheran Church, located in the historic Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis. He holds a Master of Church Music degree with an emphasis in Organ from Concordia University Wisconsin. Jeff joined the handbell choir at his church while in high school around 1983, and he has conducted church handbell choirs since 1986. Jeff has composed music for handbells which have been published by From the Top Music. During the day, Jeff is a Lead BizOps Engineer at Mastercard. Jeff is currently serving as Vice-President on Gateway’s Executive Committee.

Would you or someone you know like to be a Gateway Ringer? Find out the membership requirements here.

Past Directors

• Wim Blees (1995–1997)
• Mark W. Lawson (1997–2003)
• Nancy Helmich (2004–2007)
• Chuck Peery (2008–2018)

Past Members

• Curtis Armstrong
• Laurel Bales
• Marcia Barber
• Dolan Bayless
• Beth Beattie
• ♩ Jan Blees
• ♩ Wim Blees (Founder)
• Peter Dahlstrom
• Jill Dean
• Jan Ebeler
• Tim Forbis
• Kevin Gale
• Hellen Gillespie
• Roberta Grannemann
• Kevon Hall
• Marcia Hansen
• Cynthia Harris
• Don Hayman
• ♩ Janice Hitchcock
• Carla Hoppe
• ♩ Sally Johnson
• June Jones
• ♩ Karl Kay
• ♩ Dub Koon
• Andrew Larson
• Ginny Lawson
• Kit LaMar
• Peggy “Carillon” Lohnes
• Julia Matthews
• Jason McGinnis
• Karen Mild
• Anne Miller
• Lisa Mueller
• ♩ Allison Nalesnik
• Sue Nielsen
• ♩ Georgia O’Brien
• ♩ Candy Parson
• Janet Petersen
• Michelle Robbins
• Karen Rolland
• Wendy Shaw
• Donna Skeen
• Andrea Stramler
• Kelly Stohl
• ✝ Joyce Suttle ✝
• Laurie Underwood
• Steve Upton
• Crystal Wagner
• Bruce Walker
• Tim Way
• ♩ Marcia Worcester
• ♩ Carl Zimmerman
• Gurney the Gateway Chicken