From the Anchorage Daily News Saturday edition:Mickey Sandra Duane Riley Belden, 70, died July 1, 2009, in Gloria's Golden Heart Assisted Living, in Anchorage after suffering from a brain tumor. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at UAA Fine Arts Building, Music Recital Hall with the Rev. Norman H.V. Elliott officiating.
When I wrote about Mickey's passing last week, I mentioned she had sung some of my songs over the years, and that I had been working on more songs for her, when she passed away.
Here is a tribute I wrote ten years ago, when another great Alaskan, Joe Redington, passed away. It conveys my sadness about Mickey too.
1 comment:
Dang, Phil, when I talked to you I knew the name was familiar...then I saw her picture.
She was my voice teacher for about 3 semesters at UAA many years ago...I was also in her choir. She was one of those woman like me that Simon Cowell would never let on the stage during an American Idol competition because we don't have that "look." But, when she opened her mouth to sing, such a beautiful rich operatic voice came out (I believe she was contralto) I remember it stunned every student in the room into silence.
She also had a wonderful sense of humor and more patience than any music teacher I've ever seen. I have an excellent ear and when she worked with some of the more "pitch-challenged" students, I'd start inwardly screaming. But she never batted an eye, never made anyone feel bad and always said that everyone can have a better singing voice...it just takes instruction and practice. That patience and acceptance rubbed off and was very handy when I later regularly helped lead weekly Blues jam sessions.
I am so sorry that she's gone, Phil. She's one of those people I'd always meant to check-up on again because I wanted to tell her she had an impact. I'm sure she knows that now.
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