Former students travel to sing with music teacher/counselor

By Don Rush

Lew Wilson retired as a counselor from Oxford Community Schools in 2005. On July 10, 17 years since his retirement, about 40 former students traveled to Ludington, MI to celebrate his 80th birthday.

“I love the support,” Wilson said. “And, I am very grateful for the experience we had in Oxford.”

Wilson started teaching music in 1965 at the Brandon school district. He joined the Oxford staff in 1969. In his 36 years in Oxford he taught junior high band and choir from 1969 to 1979, then he started doing the same at Oxford High School. From 1995 until retirement in 2005 he was a counselor at the high school.

“We had kids representing classes from 1973 to 1996, from the band and from the choir. It was very special. I’m very appreciative of all the friendships and the opportunity to connect with them,” Wilson said.

This was the 3rd birthday party former students had connected with Wilson, 10 years ago they celebrated his 70th birthday and five years later, his 75th.

This year’s birthday get-together at Ludington United Methodist Church was special for another reason – Millie Solon traveled from her W. Drahner Road home in Oxford Township to Ludington to accompany Wilson and former students on the piano as she had done years ago. She’s 89 years old.

1996 OHS graduate Jenni Herzog-Lemon traveled the four hours from Oxford with her family to Ludington. “This was the 3rd time we have gone out there for a reunion/birthday celebration,” she said. “We asked him a few months back if he was up to celebrating again this year. After a while he reached out to a handful of us and said ‘sure.’ He picked the date and the music. I started a Facebook event and then we just kept spreading the word. We were just shy of 40 singers that spanned from the early 70s. A lot of us brought our families along to celebrate as well.”

According to Wilson, families gathered at the church at 9 a.m. to rehearse the three songs they would sing later in the day. They sang Let There Be Peace On Earth, My Shepherd Is The Lord Most High, and Pass It On.

Pamela Kalfayan, OHS class of 1985, who now lives in Petoskey also attended. “It was about a 2 1/2 hour drive but there were people who came farther. My friend Amy Swanson flew in from Maryland. Millie Solon, who was Mr. Wilson’s pianist for 36 years, did a fantastic job,” she said. “It was a wonderful reunion with lunch afterwards with different people standing up and sharing memories of their time with Mr. Wilson being in his class. Everyone who attended had such a great time singing and visiting with old friends that we cannot stop talking about it.”

At one point during the mini-concert, Wilson brought out a special canoe paddle he made. “I had it on the music stand,” he said. “On it is ‘Oxford Strong.’ I held it up over my head and said, ‘We are Oxford Strong.’ And we are.”

To be closer to their daughter and grandchildren, Wilson and his wife Yvonne built a home on a lake in 2005 and moved there in retirement. “It’s very beautiful,” he said. “There’s lots of wilderness, animals and lakes to canoe or kayak. There’s also a great state park with many trails to hike.”

He tries to get out to walk and bike daily.

“Mr. Wilson is always hiking or biking or canoeing,” Herzog-Lemon said. “He is one of the most active 80 year olds you will ever meet. He has always been there for all of us. He instilled such a deep love of music in so many of us. That love of music carries us through the sad times, the bad times and helps us celebrate the good times. My boys have also been able to get to know him and they also love him. We try to make it to Ludington annually. He has always put so much time into being a teacher, a mentor and a friend. That shows in the legacy that he has built.”

Wilson was the Oxford Junior High Teacher of the Year in 1974. In 1981 he was named The Jaycees Outstanding Educator of the Year. In 2011 he was named the Scottsville Elementary Volunteer of the Year. He continues as an active member of his community through church and volunteering at the local elementary school.