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The Orchestra of the Eastern Shore’s October concerts will celebrate Anne Nock and the Rev. Harry Crandall, both of whom died during the summer, and who through their service to others left a lasting legacy.
Anne Nock will be honored during two performances Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 26, at 4 p.m. at Cokesbury Church in Onancock.
The Rev. Harry Crandall will be honored on Oct. 27 at 4 p.m. at Hungars Episcopal Church, Bridgetown.
The performances will feature Handel’s “Overture to Sampson”; Bach’s “Sleepers, Wake”; Massenet’s “Meditation from Thais”; Hovhaness’s “Prayer of St. Gregory”; Mendelssohn’s “War March of the Priests from Athalie”; and Schubert’s “Mass in G.” Dr. Paul Kim will direct the orchestra.
Anne Nock was dubbed “Champion for Onancock” and “Onancock’s Honorary Grandmother.” She had a passion that was contagious. If you wanted to know how something got done in Onancock, it was often with a two-word answer: Anne Nock. From welcoming newcomers to town with a twinkle in her eye and genuine warmth to expecting excellence from herself and others, Nock was a driving force in community affairs.
For the last two decades of her life, she was at the forefront of the effort to preserve Historic Cokesbury Church as a ministry of Market Street United Methodist Church. When the late Rev. Kirk Mariner’s grand piano, which he left to Cokesbury, was moved into the church, it was Nock who stood in the middle of Market Street directing traffic. She was delighted to see the completion of the 15-year restoration project for the stained glass windows there, and to celebrate with a concert in April.
Nock lived by the admonition attributed to Methodism’s founder John Wesley: “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, for as long as ever you can.”
As a devoted mother, master gardener, Boston terrier lover, teacher, church librarian, author, limericist, and friend, Nock left a path for us to follow. That path is marked by the signs of lifting others into the abundant life she lived and shared.
The Rev. Harry Crandall also shone as one of the lights by which many found their path and charted their course through life. He was a natural leader. His mark of excellence was evident in an accomplished military career, service as student and class president three years in a row while attending seminary, and as beloved rector of Hungars Episcopal Church for nearly 20 years.
People gravitated to him for knowledge and guidance. With warm and humor, Crandall had the uncanny ability to capture the essence of a problem with a few well-chosen words and put things in perspective.
Crandall was a lifetime supporter of the arts and music lover. As an 11-year-old boy he sang in the National Cathedral Choir. However, he would chuckle with dismay, the very day he was to audition for a scholarship, was the day his voice changed thus ending the chance for that scholarship!
Crandall also enjoyed telling of the time he met Carol Channing. He was a private first class standing in line at an upscale Washington, D.C., restaurant. The maître d’ had repeatedly overlooked him as he waited. Then along came Carol Channing who pointed at him and asked him to dine with her at her table with her entourage. He of ten said he was never quite the same again after that evening.
Crandall’s path of serving others continued following his retirement from Hungars into voluntary leadership roles in Habitat for Humanity, YMCA, United Way, and Rotary, to name a few. In 2008 he received the Outstanding Citizen Award from the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce.
The concerts on Oct. 25-27 will honor two lives that exemplified what is good and right in the world. All who attend these performances will feel their presence and inspiration.
All concerts are free to the public, but donations are welcome. A reception will follow each concert.
