Dean-Hey Heritage

A Few Things About Me
Ruth Hey

My mother and father always sang around the home. Father could play a bit and Mother used to play the violin. I learned to play mostly by ear. I had very few lessons before I went to college, but at the end of my first year my professor offered me the opportunity of taking a class of seventy-five students for two months during the summer.

I studied at North Central College at Naperville under Professor Claude Penny, a student of Leschetizsky and head of North Central's music department. With piano as my major and my minor in voice I hoped to become a concert accompanist. However, I married before finishing college and have never regretted it.

From the time I married I directed choirs serving as director and organist at Trinity E.U.B. for well over twenty years. After retiring I was pressed into service again several times, directing choirs at Grace Episcopal, Rock Falls Christian and Broadway Methodist.

Ruth Hey,
son-in-law Elbert Dean
Grandma played for the wedding of family friend, Susan Karow. Elbert Dean sang specials. The wedding took place at the Karow home.

After my children were in grade school I began taking a few piano lessons to keep in practice. My husband gave me an organ with full pedal board when the Hammonds first came out. I then commuted to Chicago weekly for lessons with Professor Charles Damerest of Chicago Musical College. After approximately two years Professor Damerest gave up teaching and I did not take again until about eighteen years ago. This time I commuted every two weeks to the American Conservatory and studied under Dr. Edward Eigenshank. My last lessons with him were about five years ago. I studied with him only periodically.

There were many interesting choir workshops which I attended including several at Northwestern University and an outstanding week at Cornell College with Dr. Donald Kettering.

Organ workshops include a number at Northwestern University, the best of which was the five-day one of Dr. Michael Schneider of Germany four years ago.

Have taught organ, Hammond and pipe, for a good many years. My most recent students include two music majors, one in organ and one in voice which I also teach.

Grandma Hey's Studio
Grandma's studio always had 3 or 4 pianos. She generally taught 20 piano students along with a couple of vocal and organ students. She held music theory classes on Saturday mornings. (Grandson Steve back, left)

1941-42 Program, Mendelssohn Club, Sterling
Organization, Cover

Grandma was quite active in community events, especially music presentations. Notice that Aunt Mary Harshman hosted the first program of the year. Aunt Verna Harshman was also on the committe list. And note that Grandma Hey was President of the club.

"Gram and Aunt Carmel had beautiful soprano voices. Aunt Mary & Aunt Verna sang alto parts. I remember attending one concert when they sang in the Elk's Club auditorium on a Sunday afternoon. Gram sang a solo part in one concert. I think it was the "Recessional," a poem by Rudyard Kipling, written for Queen Victoria's Jubilee. Muriel Phelps was the director of the choir and when she had to retire because of health problems, the group disbanded." (recollection by Janna Hey Dean)

1941-42 Program, Mendelssohn Club, Sterling
Annual Program

Grandma Hey, Dad
Diane & Doug Newton Wedding Rehearsal,
June 4, 1971

Grandson Mike
playing Baldwin grand piano
that Grandma Hey donated to Maranatha
(August or September, 1976)

As far back as I can remember, Gram played the organ and directed the choir at Trinity Evangelical Church. Occasionally on a Saturday afternoon, she would go to church to practice, and I had to sit quietly in the pew and listen. Since Dad also sang in the choir, we kids had to sit on the first pew directly behind the organ on Sunday. Obviously, we learned to sit quietly when we were quite young. When Gram had spinal meningitis and was bedfast for nearly a year, the church hired (Gram never took money) another organist. Later, she did take jobs of organ and choir director in other churches. When we began attending the Baptist church, she came with us and so appreciated the preaching of Pastor Rokosh that she never went back to playing and directing choirs for money. She played the organ and directed the choir at Faith Baptist Church for several years before she passed away in 1976. She started giving piano, organ and voice lessons when you boys started piano with her. (recollection by Janna Hey Dean)

Music Studio Doubles as Gym for Grandkids
Top tier: Tom
Middle tier: Jerry, Laura
Bottom tier: Steve, John, Mike

Mike, Dad, Grandma Hey
Christmas Eve, 1973
"Waiting for Steve & Kathy"
(on back of photo in Gram's writing)