A little traveling music for the late Ruth Seim

Here, for a Sunday morning, is Mark Babcock performing John Hughes' 1907 setting for the much older William Williams' hymn, "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah," on the mighty Casavant (above) at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Des Moines. 

In honor, somewhat belatedly, of the late Ruth Seim, who died at age 79 some weeks ago --- on June 10 --- at her home in Ottumwa. 

Although an active and loyal member of Ottumwa's First Presbyterian Church, Mrs. Seim had served as organist at Trinity Episcopal Church in Ottumwa for 50 years --- an amazing record of service that continued until shortly before her death.

Her name came up yesterday at Trinity during a meeting of the South Central Chapter of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa (Chariton's Rev. Fred Steinbach chairs the chapter and represents it on the  Diocesan board). 

In addition to the sorrows involved in any death, the passing of a talented organist is a considerable calamity for the congregation she or he served --- especially if the instrument is a vintage pipe organ. The pool of musicians who can handle these magnificent beasts is diminishing rapidly and not being replenished.

So here's to the memory of Ruth Seim, who only in death relinquished the keys, I'm told, to the instrument she loved and considered her own.