Fred and Amy Merrett threw a party, a party to celebrate the winding down of the Bronze Harmony Handbell Choir. As a music teacher fred introduced handbells to Winnipeg schools in 1963, then came to Alberta and promoted them here. When the time came to leave the school system, conducting this choir was Fred’s retirement project. He has been doing it for the past 21 years. If the Edmonton Journal is to be believed, Fred is 83.
What a party it was! Great food, great music; ringers at the mic telling us all how Fred’s influence has probably touched every handbell teacher in western Canada. The music he composed is played by ringers around the world.
Even after this Fred will still be ringing intimate concerts with his wife Amy and writing more music for the bells. Seems to me that Fred has been extremely wise, stepping out of full time employment and carrying forward something he loved, pursuing excellence long after official retirement, bringing the future into view before letting go of the past, celebrating endings with a flourish. His story is the story retirement planners dream about.
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