FMEA Past President and Nova Singers’ founding musical director and long-time mentor, Peggy Joyce Barber, 94, passed away peacefully at her John Knox Village home on Sunday, August 4. She has remained an honorary director emeritus since turning over the conducting reigns to Chuck Stanley in the fall of 2010. Peggy was a nationally recognized choral director and clinician. She served as director of music for the First Presbyterian Church in Pompano Beach and the First Christian Church of Fort Lauderdale. She was a past state president of the American Choral Directors Association and the Florida Music Education Association, where she was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1988 (the youngest person at the time).She began her choral career in South Florida as director of the Stranahan High School music program. During her 18 years at Stranahan High School in southwest Fort Lauderdale, Barber nurtured the choral program from a handful of students up to 500 singers, winning numerous accolades and honors. Peggy and her life partner of more than 50 years, Janie Ann Hooks, moved to their beautiful waterfront villa in John Knox Village in 2002 and were very active in the community until Janie passed away in March of 2017. Both Peggy and Janie will be interred in a columbarium at the First Presbyterian Church of Pompano Beach (The Pink Church).

If you would like to honor Peggy’s memory, donations to the Nova University Community Singers would be welcome. You can either donate online through the Nova University website giving.nova.edu and make sure you select Nova Singers under the Select Gift area drop-down or by mailing a check payable to:

Nova University Community Singers
c/o John List
971 SW Pepperidge Terr.
Boca Raton, FL 33486

Barbara Smith (Bobbie), 75, from Apopka, passed away on August 7, 2020. She was followed in death by her beloved husband of 55 years, Audie Byron Smith, 76, a Tallahassee native, who passed away September 5, 2020. Byron is a Past President of FMEA, and both Bobbie and Byron managed the FMEA Conference Exhibit Hall for many years after their retirement. 

Bobbie graduated from Apopka High School and Byron graduated from Leon High School. They both attended Florida State University where they received Bachelors Degrees in Music Education. Byron went on to complete both his Masters and Doctorate degrees at FSU. They both retired from the Leon County School district where they served at Rickards and primarily Lincoln High School for four decades. They also mentored numerous FSU music education students who interned in their programs. Even in retirement they volunteered at Deerlake Middle School where their grandchildren were in chorus. They also devoted countless hours to the Florida Vocal Association (FVA) and Florida Music Education Association (FMEA). As highly respected music educators, they received many awards and commendations including the top honors of: FMEA Hall of Fame (2010, Byron); FVA Hall of Fame (2012, Byron); FVA Roll of Distinction (2012, Bobbie); Leon County Schools Outstanding Senior Volunteer (2018, Bobbie).

The Florida Music Education Association is saddened to announce the passing of our longest living Past President, Dr. Al G. Wright (1916-2020) on September 5, 2020 at his home in West Lafayette, Indiana. Dr. Wright served as President of the FBA from 1946-47 and President of the FMEA from 1952-53.  He grew up in Michigan and attended the University of Miami, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music.  He taught band and orchestra at Miami Senior High School from 1937-1954, after which he became the second director of the Purdue All-American Marching Band in the summer of 1954, where he served for 27 years until his retirement in 1981. 

In 1954, Wright was one of the founding members of the Florida chapter of the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA), and in 1961 founded the National Band Association (NBA), serving as its founding president, secretary-treasurer, and then honorary life president (2000).  Wright was president of numerous band organizations and served on many Boards of Directors throughout his career.  You can see his FBA Legacy Project interview on the FBA Legacy Project page.  Dr. Wright was 104 years old.