Overlook United Methodist Church Woodstock NY 12498


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Pat Blakely, Secretary Image

 

Pat Blakely, Secretary

I am the secretary for Overlook United Methodist Church and First Steps ECEC. I am very thankful for both positions and enjoy working for the church community and the First Steps family.  
Prior to these positions, I was retired for ten years to help take care of my eight grandchildren while their parents worked. It has been 10 years of love and fun taking care of them. It also has been very rejuvenating and helps keep a person young. 

My youngest grandchild attends First Steps. So, as you can imagine, it was God answering my prayers when the secretary positions opened. I do not know what I would have done next year when my youngest goes to school. Going through empty nest syndrome two times is too much. Therefore, I am very grateful for everyone’s patience with me while getting back into the work force – and for the scheduling flexibility when the children are sick, etc.

On the home front, I have lived in Boiceville for 30 years with my husband Steve. We raised our four children Steven, Daniel, Tara, and Brian there, and they all attended Onteora and St. John’s Parish. Steven, his wife Sabrina, and their four children as well as my son Brian still live in Shokan. Steven is your local Thumann’s distributor. Sabrina is Onteora’s middle school nurse. Brian works for the Town of Olive and has his own septic pumping business, Assential Pumping. Daniel, his wife Becca and their two children live in Washington state, where Dan distributes Pepperidge Farm cookies. Tara and Aaron live in Tennessee with their two girls. Tara is also a school nurse.  

The most important things in my life are God, family, and community. I have been very blessed with all three.

Ed Leavitt, Organist

 


Edward Leavitt, Organist / Choir Director

Dr. Edward Leavitt is a 40-year Woodstock/Saugerties resident. Ed had a successful 25-year career as a veterinarian, from which he retired to follow musical pursuits as a piano teacher and accompanist. He grew up in the Methodist church in southern Maine and was active, as a teenager, as a substitute organist in many churches in the area. Ed attended the University of Maine and Cornell University. In both schools he was involved in choral music and he was a four-year member of the acclaimed Cornell University Glee Club. During a six-year veterinary residency in Huntington, Long Island, he sang with the Huntington Community Chorus and served a term as its board chairperson.

Ed came to Overlook in 1996 as organist under Dr. Richard Olsen, the music director of the church at the time. In 2000 he took a position at SUNY Ulster as adjunct instructor of Class Piano, Applied Piano, and Music Appreciation. He accompanies the choral groups as well as vocal and instrumental soloists at the college.

Locally Dr. Leavitt continues to teach piano to children and adults at his home studio. He serves on the boards of Maverick Concerts in Woodstock and Saugerties Pro Musica, and he continues to make a joyful noise at Overlook UMC.


 

 
Overlook United Methodist Church - 233 Tinker Street - Woodstock, NY - 12498 - 845-679-6800 - overlookumc@gmail.com