Bill Loree and John Bartell are retiring at the end of 2024
From Our Lady of the Valley
With the retirements of our two very dedicated organists, the clergy and parishioners of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Hornell, NY share the following in tribute to their dedication to the parish.
Bill Loree has graciously shared his musical talents with the Hornell and surrounding communities over the past 70 plus years. Bill recently retired as volunteer organist for Our Lady of the Valley Parish at the end of August 2024. He had been the organist who played regularly at St. Ann’s Church, of Our Lady of the Valley Parish, for the 4:30 Saturday Mass. Bill shared he feels blessed by God to have been given his musical talent and always felt it was his duty to share that music with others.
Bill attended St. Ann’s School in Hornell and is a 1954 graduate of Hornell High School. He earned his BS in Education from SUNY Geneseo in 1960. In 1964, he earned his master’s degree from New York University. During his 31 years of service in the Hornell School System, he served as teacher, elementary guidance counselor, and principal at one time or another of all six elementary schools.
Bill has always had a love for music. He shared that he was around 3 years old when one Sunday he sat down at the piano and began playing hymns he had heard at church. Bill took piano lessons at St. Ann’s School and played for various school events and activities. He began playing the organ at St. Ignatius Church when he was only 11 years old. Bill began playing the piano on weekends in 1961 at the former Sherwood Hotel in Hornell. Bill has also shared his musical talents with so many sing-a-longs at the Big Elms, Knights of Columbus, Hornell Country Club, and Club 57 over the years. He was given the nickname of “Broadway Bill Loree” and “Hornell’s Piano Man” by many in past years. Bill was the Church Organist and Choir Director at St. Ignatius Church and then continued as a volunteer organist at St. Ann’s Church when the area Catholic churches formed Our Lady of the Valley Parish in 2004. He has also played and provided music at the former St. Joachim’s Church in Canisteo, as well as at St. Mary’s Church in Rexville—which remains part of Our Lady of the Valley Parish. Throughout his life, Bill has shared his musical talents and provided so many people with joyous celebrations at weddings and holiday celebrations, as well as providing music for funerals and mass celebrations.
The organ at St. Ann’s Church of Our Lady of the Valley Parish was built in approximately 1881 and came to the parish around 1888. It was constructed in Buffalo by “Garrett House.” It was electrified in 1951 and changed to solid state by John Bartell in 1988. It took an entire year to make this adjustment.
John Bartell said he first inquired about playing the organ on Christmas day because, in the mid-1950s, music was provided for St. Ann’s midnight Mass but not for daytime Christmas liturgies. He was given permission to play at daytime Christmas masses and hasn’t stopped since.
John Bartell played the organ in Oneonta before he came to Hornell. When he began in 1954, he played at all five weekend Masses and one weekday Mass before he went to his day job as a professor at Alfred State College, where he taught from 1968-2005. John was hired as the paid organist at St. Ann’s Church in 1968 and among his other duties led a choir of 82 St. Ann’s School girls which sang his first Christmas here. He also played the organ for the various devotions and novenas which took place at St. Ann’s Church.
Not only did John play the organ, but he also maintained the church organ. He also maintained the heating system for the former St. Ann’s Convent, the former St. Ann’s School and the former St. Ann’s Rectory over the years. In the past, John could even be seen from time to time mowing the lawn for the church. Presently, John plays the organ at two Sunday Masses each month for Our Lady of the Valley Parish. He also plays as needed for funerals and holy day of obligation masses.
With the retirement of Bill Loree, and John Bartell retiring beginning January 2025, Our Lady of the Valley Parish is accepting applications for the position of part-time organist. Anyone interested should go to the parish website, www.olv14843.org, to find out more information about the position.
Fr. Stan Kacprzak, Pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Parish, wishes to thank both Bill Loree and John Bartell for their dedication and many years of service as organist.
