Jo Ellen De Vilbiss
MY
LIFE
Who grew up in the town of Vermillion.
1966 was the year
to face life with some fear
and excitement… like the explorer, Magellan.
It was off to Drake to get a degree,
Music education, soon a teacher to be.
Band and choir,
Her music passion on fire,
she taught for two years. just like Mrs. Chaffee.
Ah, but piano was really her calling,
So off to grad school with lots of stuff she was hauling.
Two years U of I: Champaign
A short but familiar refrain.
On with life….let there be no more stalling.
In grad school she met her husband to be
A Piano Person too and teacher was he.
So lucky were they
Hired on the same day
To become faculty at Lawrence University.
It was off to Wisconsin where there’s cheese and crackers
and snow and ice and Green Bay Packers.
Five years in that mode,
Appleton was their abode
Worked hard and played hard, no time to be slackers!
Erik, son number one, was born while there.
And shortly thereafter a new job hit the air.
Again to Champaign
And very flat terrain
Since for husband Reid no other college could compare.
Marc, son number two, was soon to be born
In the land of Lincoln, Illini, and corn.
Jo continued to play
Her music each day
Teaching the piano, church choir, and the clarinet horn.
A community music school was founded in ‘86
And there as Director she now gets her work fix.
Students come to the door
Some rich, many poor
To learn their notes and other musical tricks.
Now we’ve come to the end of this rhyme.
It’s friends, family, and music that take up her time.
No star-studded glory
Is part of this story
But plenty of savoring life, like a fine glass of wine.
Okay, so this is not Pulitzer Prize material, and would not likely have passed muster in English, but that’s what rolled off the fingers! Doggerel verse, lyrics, and other assorted writing has become a bit of an erratic hobby of mine. I’ve been lucky enough to have some articles and software programs published. If you want to know more about my professional life you can check out the Conservatory of Central Illinois website. www.conservatorycentralil.org.
With both boys out of the house, we have our aging Border Collie mix to keep us under control. And, I find myself back in Vermillion more often these days checking in on my Mom. I am looking forward this trip to seeing many more familiar faces than on my usual visits.
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city state zip: Champaign, Il 61821
Susan
Abell. .Tom
Abell Kathy
ArmstrongBruce/Allen Agnew Connie
Cleland AshmoreMerle
Ashmore Vicki Block Sharon
Brewer Steve
Busch Mary Jane Carlin Allan
Charrlin Lonnie Cleland JoEllen
De Vilbiss Jayne Girard
Sam Heikes Shari
Hope Dave Iverson Teresa
Johnston Kathy
Kavanaugh Marsha Kipling John
Kruger Frank Kyte Jim
Larson Karen
LarsonMilt
LeeSusan LeeMaureen
Manning Paul Oden Diane
Petereson Dave Rinker Bev
Raschke Dean RasmussenDick
SlatteryJan SlatterySue
Sorensen Doug StecklerMargaret
VanCleave Mark
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