Local Face: Susan Fellows

Susan was born in London shortly after her parents arrived back from India. They moved to Mill Hill where she grew up and went to school. Her secondary school, Hendon County Grammar School was wonderful and an unusually musical school with a very talented and well connected music master. They had a splendid choir and sang on the radio and television in this country and Berlin, made recordings with quite famous people and provided the choir for Le a vers Ser vices in St . Pa u l’s Cathedral. Music and piano playing and singing in particular, became an integral part of Susan’s life and spirit.

At fourteen, she and a friend decided to experiment and go to Evensong at the local Parish Church. She had never done anything like this before but found it an amazing experience and Susan felt very at home, so decided to keep going. A lovely co-incidence was that her school music teacher was the organist and choir master and the choir was superb – all boys and men of course! He spotted Susan sitting on her own in the church (her friend did not come again) and invited her to join the choir. She had to sit at the back because she was a girl, but sang, learnt to play the organ and met her future husband, Roger, who was the Head Chorister.Susan became school organist and general accompanist at school and when it became obvious that music was her passion and future she went on to study the piano and violin at Trinity College of Music.

On graduat ing from Music College she and Roger ma r r i e d , a n d Susan went into t e a c h in g a n d a c c om p a n y i n g instrumentalists.

They moved to Aylesbury. They are blessed with two children and four grandchildren who all play instruments and sing (except the two babies so far.)

Susan has taught music in schools of all kinds, she became very interested in Special Educational Needs which remains an interest. She taught for 27 years at Aylesbury High School and even more years for Aylesbury Music Centre. Many of her pupils have become professional musicians and she is very proud of all of them.

Susan and Roger remained regular Church goers at St. Mary’s Aylesbury where Roger sang in the choir, Susan served, and their son became Head Chorister (chip off the old block!)

They decided to have a change and bega n att en ding St. Mar y’ s Weston Turville. They joined the choir and Susan served and then became organist and choir mistress on the retirement of the then Director of Music.

When she was about 50, Susan realised that God was calling her to work for him in a more direct way, and she was ordained and became curate and then Assistant Priest. She is still Director of Music, but has a splendid organist to help. Susan says:

“I think I have my cake and am eating it! The work of a Parish Priest is hard work but suits me so well. It seems to use every talent I was given including a few I did not know I had! I feel as though all of me and my life experiences have come together in the service of God. After all, he gave