Marie (Peery) Medford

Class of 1944

Marine Wife Is Talented Pianist

By RUTH SILVERTHORN

A talented young Marine wife is making a name for herself in Island musical circles.

She is Marie (Peery) Medford, wife of Lt. Col. E.L. Medford, who is currently serving with the First Marine Brigade at Kaneohe as G-l officer.

An outstanding pianist, Mrs. Medford was first heard by Dr. John F. Fox, president of Punahou School, while performing in California. She was offered a teaching position at Punahou.

Mrs. Medford has taught music for one year in the Punahou Elementary School and for two years she gave piano instructions in its music school. She is now teaching at home.

She was accompanist at the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta “H.M.S. Pinafore,” presented recently by the combined choirs of the Central Union Windward Church.

The former Marie Peery, Mrs. Medford was born in Weiser, Idaho, and was graduated from the University of Oregon in 1948, where she received a bachelor of arts degree in public school music.

However, her musical study began long before college. She was a student of the famed George Hopkins in Eugene, Ore., and began teaching piano at the age of 12.

Marie is quiet-spoken and interested in people. She is a thorough and enthusiastic musician.

“Any music can be beautiful to the ear, from the classics down through modern jazz, if it is done well,” she said.

Mrs. Medford is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority and Mu Phi Epsilon, music honorary fraternity. As an active member of the Morning Music Club here in Hawaii, she has directed the choir at the First Methodist Church in Honolulu and was organist at the Korean Methodist Church.

She also is vice president of the Officers’ Wives’ Club at Kaneohe and teaches Sunday School at the Kailua Community Methodist Church.

In her spare time she makes all her own clothes and is starting a collection of music boxes.

The Medfords met in the Islands and were married in 1950. They are the parents of two children, Gine- nie Sue, 4, and Leslie, 2. They were stationed here in 1950 and 1951, and have been here for a second tour since August, 1957.

From The Honolulu Advertiser Honolulu, Hawaii · Monday, February 02, 1959