Verne Windham Verne Windham from the 45th reunion

Verne Windham


Mailing Address:

     1504 E 13th Ave
     Spokane, WA 99202-3538

Phone: 509 534-6320
Verne Windham
vsjjwindham@comcast.net
Updated: August 13, 2024

I retired from my 38 years at the Spokane NPR station KPBX two years ago, having left the favorite job of my life, conducting the Spokane Youth Orchestra about 10 years age.  I guess I did get a push forward conducting the MHS Pep Band way back when. My remaining musical activity is as choir director at the UCC church in Spokane. My musical treats include listening to my talented wife Susan play piano and sing in her studio next to the garden I tend.  The other is being fed by the great radio station from which I got to feed people all those years.

My share of the health stories include a deep back muscle infection this spring and a couple of cancers, past and present.

We enjoyed a weekend in Moscow this July which included the memorial service for my sister Elaine, two years older than me. 


Spouse:  Susan

Kids:

     Hannah Kendrick 20
     Jonathan 15
     Jesse 13

Remember that field trip in 2nd grade to see The Record Man & The Story Lady?  I guess it made an impression, because I have been doing public radio in Spokane since the mid 80s.  That followed my first career, as principal horn player of the Spokane Symphony, and is concurrent with my present passion; conductor of the Spokane Youth Symphony.  (I guess that came from that MHS Pep Band conducting.)

After high school I got my degree from the Eastman School of Music, then defended New York against music as a member of the Army Band there.  When I came to Spokane in 1971 to play in the Spokane Symphony, my first wife and I were urban hippies with our goat farm in Hangman Valley.

My wife Susan is a wonderful singer, and we have two teenage boys who play tuba and drums.  I had my children much later than most of you.  They may have to push their doddering old dad in a wheelchair to their graduation ceremonies.

Being in the public arena, I had a highly publicized throat cancer four years ago.  A great surgeon and some radiation later it is all gone.  I still get to Moscow to see my mother, Bertha. She has Alzheimer's, but usually recognizes me.  Some of you had her as your second grade teacher.

You can catch me on the radio most mornings at 91.1 On the web it is KPBX.org.

I hope to see you in July.

 


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