Gwynne Galpin

Gwynne Galpin, 90 of Sebring, passed away on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at Alliance Community Hospital. Gwynne was born in Sebring on March 23, 1924 the daughter of the late Tudor and Ada Lillian (Parfitt) Williams, having come to the United States from Wales in the womb! Gwynne began singing to the glory of the Lord at the age of twelve as a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church choir in Alliance. She was a graduate of Alliance High School and Mount Union College, majoring in music education. While still in college, Gwynne began directing choirs at the Union Avenue United Methodist Church in Alliance, and the First Presbyterian Church in Sebring, commuting by bus. After graduating college in 1946, she moved to the Warren, Ohio, area where Gwynne taught school and directed the Tod Avenue Methodist Church choir. This last assignment “changed her whole life”, because that was where she met her future husband, Lawrence, a member of that choir!. Having then moved to Salem, Mrs. Galpin directed the children’s choir at the Methodist Church. Moving again, to Sebring, Gwynne became the choir director of the Faith United Presbyterian Church, and later at the merged Sebring United Presbyterian Church. After the final move to the Maple Ridge area, Gwynne began teaching Elementary Music in the West Branch Local School District, where she was a major influence on many of her students who then sought careers in the field of music. In her later years, and as a member of the Mountain of the Lord Church Foursquare Gospel Church in Alliance, she furthered the Kingdom of God by spreading the Gospel.
Gwynne was an avid gardener, enjoyed water color painting, watching and feeding the birds and squirrels, fishing, playing the piano and singing for many weddings. She was also a member of Mu Phi Epsilon, Alpha Chi Omega, the Alliance Retired Teachers Association, the Alliance Music Study Club and the Alliance Art Center.
Survivors include her son, Mark Lawrence (Darlene) Galpin of Alliance; her daughter, Wendy Jo (Nate) Lehman of Huron, OH; five grandchildren - Angela Robin (Kurt) Killingsworth, Rebecca Ann Rice, Joshua Earl Rice, Nathan Lawrence Galpin and Matthew Douglas Galpin; and three great grandchildren - Gracie, Owen and Noah. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by a son, Kurt Douglas, in 1983, her husband Lawrence, “Larry” in 1985, and a great grandson, Gabriel Michael Kirsch in 2002.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 7:00 PM at Gednetz-Ruzek Funeral Home with Pastors Nicholas Lindsay and Sherry Henshaw officiating. Friends may call on Tuesday from 5-7 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Gwynne’s honor to the Alliance Visiting Nurse Association/Hospice or the Mountain of the Lord Foursquare Gospel Church. Arrangements are by Gednetz-Ruzek Funeral Home. Friends may send condolences and sign the guest register online at www.grfuneralhome.com.

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