News

At 93, Pearl Tweedy still enjoys singing and playing the piano

By Mary Sue Chatfield/FOr MVM News Network

Published: Thursday, November 8, 2007 6:04 PM CST

MONTROSE - Montrose Trinity United Methodist Choir members recently took their practice session “on the road.”

They were invited to hold their practice at the home of Pearl Harmon Tweedy, mother of choir member, Karl Tweedy.

After songs were prepared for the next church service, Tweedy sat down at the piano and favored the choir by playing several of her favorite selections, with the choir singing along.

Pearl Tweedy, 93, is a regular attendee at church services. During the course of the evening, she shared some very interesting stories with the choir. Her parents had an old pump organ in their home, and she began playing it as a very young child.

Neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Hayes had purchased a square baby grand piano for their daughters. When none of the them showed a continuing interest in piano playing, the Hayes gave the instrument to the Harmon family. That prompted the beginning of actual lessons for Tweedy (age 9) and her sister, Leatha.

Their piano teacher, Mrs. Park Bowen, lived in Montrose while the Harmon family lived several miles out in the country. With the distance being too far and the sisters being too young to walk to Montrose, their mother would hitch up the horse and buggy, load up all four daughters and drive them to Montrose for the piano lessons.

Tweedy recalls when they were returning home in the horse and buggy, a man driving a car ran head on into them. Two of the girls were thrown out of the buggy, but there were no serious injuries.

Finding itself loose from the harness following the accident, the horse took off for home. Its arrival, minus the buggy and the family, prompted Mr. Harmon to go looking for them.

Eventually, the family was safe at home and all were very thankful that no permanent harm had been done. In later years, her older brother, Frank, drove her to her lesson.

Tweedy's love of music has continued throughout all these years. She commented she still takes the time to sit down at the piano and play for awhile each day.

She even shared her practice piece, “Glistening Lake,” with the choir, which agreed that she pretty well had it mastered.

Tweedy's playing of the piano is a good example of the fact that something learned as a child can provide enjoyment throughout life, even well into a person's senior years.