Dover woman marks 70 years as church organist

Marjorie Burkhart can hardly believe it herself, but in January she will mark 70 years as organist at St. John’s United Church of Christ.

The 89-year-old was born and raised in Dover to parents Darrel and Ruth Trubey Render and has lived her entire life in just two homes, the house where she was born and the one she moved into after getting married.

Burkhart said music was always part of her life while attending Dover schools.

“I was in the band and choir, and accompanied the choir under the direction of L.H. Alexander,” she said. “I started taking piano lessons when I was about 5, and then someone gave the school an electric organ. Mrs. Roy Grams gave me lessons on that organ, and that’s where it all started.”

After graduating from Dover High School, Burkhart worked as a secretary for the school district when she was asked to step into the role of organist at St. John’s. The retiring organist had served for 25 years.

“I told my mother I would never work that long in one place,” Burkhart said.

Over the decades, Burkhart has played for countless services and ceremonies.

“I can’t tell you how many weddings I’ve played for or how many ministers I’ve worked with,” she said. “I was kind of stunned when I first played at a funeral. It was the first funeral I had ever attended.”

Burkhart continues to practice regularly, playing Wednesday mornings ahead of evening rehearsals and Saturday afternoons in preparation for Sunday services. One of the few times she recalls missing a Sunday was an Easter service when she had the flu.

Her husband, Robert, died in March 2020. The couple has two daughters, Melanie Patterson and Debra Burkhart, both of whom sing in the church choir and often perform piano and organ duets with their mother. Other family members include grandson Kirk Patterson, his wife, Kirstin, their daughter, Ashlynn, and Burkhart’s brother, Jim Renda.

Outside of church, Burkhart has been a member of the MacDowell Music Study Club for 60 years and has served multiple terms as its president. She still enjoys cooking and completing the Word Search puzzle in the newspaper each morning.

“Everyone should find work they love and keep practicing to get better,” Burkhart said. “My love of the work and the wonderful friends I have made have kept me here this long.”

“Marge is one of the heartbeats of the church,” said the Rev. Kersandra Granados. “She exemplifies a service to the church that is so rare it can hardly be found and is practically unheard of in any profession today.”

As for how many more years she might serve, Burkhart said she does not know.

“I’ll probably stay until I can’t play anymore, or someone gets tired of me and kicks me out,” she said. “If I could, I would probably be there forever.”