Ringer Bios

Bill Nave is the Musical Director and co-founder of Bayou City Bells. He has been ringing and directing English handbells for 25 years. He studied handbell ringing with Cynthia Dobrinski while working on his master's degree at SWBTS in Ft. Worth, Texas. During the day, Bill is an Elementary Music Specialist who likes to combine the Orff and Kodaly teaching strategies in his teaching style.

Dave Benner has been involved in handbell music for 18 years, serving as a member or substitute for many churches in the greater Houston area. He is a charter member of Bayou City Bells, and served with the former Houston Festival Ringers for many years. Dave is a pharmacist for Texas Oncology, and currently serves as an organist at Bethel Church UCC in Houston. He and his partner, Kurt, have 3 kids, all with four legs.

Margaret Bremer first rang handbells for one day in fifth grade and at that point determined that if she ever saw them again, she would learn to play them. In 2002 she got that opportunity and has been ringing at least twice a week ever since. Margaret has rung in several Houston area church choirs, including Chapelwood Methodist, St. Luke's Methodist, Memorial Drive Presbyterian, and her home church, St. Andrew's Presbyterian. Some of her best ringing memories were made while a member of a performing handbell quartet as a part of Houston Community Handbells. Currently, Margaret works at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church as the calendar and event coordinator.

Sharon Brumley started ringing bells in 1995 at First Presbyterian Church in Houston, rapidly being infected with the "ringing disease." She was formerly a member of both the Houston Festival Ringers and Houston Bronze Ensemble. Sharon organized the Chancel Bells handbell quartet in 2001 and they ring throughout the city as requested, always having a terrific time. Sharon and her husband Arthur retired from professional careers in 2004 and have been thoroughly enjoying the best job in the world - RETIREMENT!

Sharon Campbell began ringing bells in 1978 in Ponca City, Oklahoma. She is a native Oklahoman and proud of her Okie roots. It was there that she was instrumental in forming a four-in-hand quartet and expanding the program to include a beginning adult group. Upon moving to the Houston area in 1995, she joined the Houston Bronze Ensemble, where she rang for eight years. Throughout her career as a ringer/director, Sharon has been fortunate to ring under the batons of some of the genre's most revered directors. Sharon enjoys quilting, crafting in general, jigsaw puzzles and collecting teapots. She also plays piano and recorder and has arranged some solo and duet music for bells.

Robin Gorman started playing hand chimes and handbells at First Baptist Church Houston, continuing for fifteen years. She currently plays Chancel Bells, a four-in-hand quartet, at First Presbyterian Houston. Robin is the Production Project Coordinator for EnerVest, LTD (oil and gas company).

Ben Harris has been "addicted" to handbells since 1980! Over the years he’s directed numerous church handbell choirs and was a member of the Houston Bronze Ensemble for nine years. Ben graduated from Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota with elementary education and Director of Christian Education degrees. He later completed a Master of Music degree in organ performance from Rice University, Houston. He is currently a Project Manager for Hewlett-Packard Company in Houston and volunteers as a handbell director at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spring. Before joining HP, Ben served as Minister of Music/Organist at various churches in Texas and Minnesota. He and his wife, Marge, have two grown children.

Barbara Inzer was born in Arkansas, moved to Louisiana where she started playing English handbells at University United Methodist Church in Lake Charles almost twenty years ago and then moved to Houston. Barbara has played with Strikepoint of Texas and is a board member of the Greater Houston Handbell Association. She is co-founder of Bayou City Bells. Barbara plays piano and flute. She teaches special education at Bellaire High School and, as a hobby, enjoys competitive ballroom dancing.

Larraine Lyter-Reed felt her son's earliest stirring in the womb at her very first handbell practice in l985 with the St. Swithun Handbell Guild of Fort Worth. Since that time, joining handbell groups has helped her to integrate within the landscapes of Ohio and the UK. Now she is back in Texas and currently rings with her own Central Presbyterian handbell choir as well as Bayou City Bells. Larraine recently completed her master's degree and is employed by the Baylor College of Medicine as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Jim Mayo began ringing bells at age twelve under the direction of Don Allured in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He is a past member of Houston Festival Ringers under the direction of Andrew Bowen. Jim has played trumpet and French Horn at various times in his musical past. He is currently a Pest Control Technician residing in Sugar Land, Texas with his wife, Janet, and dog, Gracie.

Anne Monahan has been playing bells since 1987. She started playing handbells at St. John the Apostle United Methodist Church. Then in 1993 moved to Houston and played with the League City Methodist Church. In 2002 Anne joined Strikepoint of Texas in Kingwood. Then in 2007 became a charter member of Bayou City Bells. Music has been a part of Anne's life since age 7, when she started taking piano lessons. She also plays violin and recorder. She is a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

Hazel Thomas was born into a family of Music Ministers and began ringing handbells in seventh grade at her church in Fort Worth. While a Divinity student at SWBTS in Ft. Worth, she rang in the handbell choir under the direction of Cynthia Dobrinski. Since 1996, Hazel has rung in various church choirs. She led a children's chime choir for a few years as well. Hazel works at TIRR Memorial Herrmann as the Chaplain Manager for both inpatient and outpatient services.

Lucy Thompson began ringing solo bells, ringing with Strikepoint of Texas, and with the Jacob Ringers in 1998. She recently retired from 27 years of teaching music in the public schools. The last ten were devoted to the teaching of handbells. Since retirement, Lucy has started a bell program at the First Presbyterian Church in Livingston, Texas, become a board member of the Houston Handbell Association and a charter member of the Bayou City Bells. She continues to ring many solo programs in churches, and for civic organizations.

Paula Webber Whyte started playing handbells in 1995 at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in the Parish Handbell Choir. She rang many years with Houston Festival Ringers under the direction of Andrew Bowen. She once was a member of First Presbyterian Church's handbell choir and has substituted at Bellaire United Methodist Church numerous times. She has also subbed at First Congregational Church in Hunter's Creek Village and St. Martin's Episcopal Church. Paula is married to Chris Whyte and has two children, Stephen, 24 and Brittany, 16. Presently, she is a homemaker who enjoys music, gardening, reading and is an active volunteer at Memorial High School.

Lynn Wisda began ringing handbells in 1991 at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. She rings in the Campanile Hand Bell Choir at First Presbyterian and is a founding member of the Chancel Bells (a four in hand quartet) at First Presbyterian Church. Lynn enjoys playing the piano, doing counted cross stitch and crossword puzzles. She is Director of Volunteers at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.