After 53 years, Higgins steps away from piano bench; takes a seat in the choir

Gaye Higgins at a familiar place - the piano bench.

Following more than five decades of being the pianist at Crestview Baptist Church in Forest City, Gaye Ingle Higgins stepped away from the piano bench March 10 for retirement.

Gaye said it's time for a younger person to step up to play the piano at Crestview, but coming from a family of musicians, she's not giving up her music service completely.

She said getting older and her eyesight weaker it was time for a younger person to take her place.

"It turned out to be a sad day," Gaye said, of her retirement on March 10. An afternoon reception was held in her honor as church and family attended.

She attended the same church all of her life and began playing the piano when she could barely reach the pedals.

"Uncle Milan (Ingle) was pastor at Westside (later Crestview) and the family went wherever he was (preaching) from the beginning," she said.

Gaye took piano lessons from Virginia Blanton, playing most of the time by note and occasionally by ear when she was playing the piano for the family quartet to sing.

When Gaye started playing the piano at church, her cousin Dan Ingle was playing the organ. She would also later play the organ from time to time, "but I was more geared to the piano," she said.

When Gaye and her husband Bobby's special needs daughter was born 44 years ago, they weren't sure they'd be able to serve (outside of the home) as much, thinking they'd be spending more time with Tracy.

"I thought this could cut our service time down tremendously...If you want to see God smile, tell Him your plans," she said.

Gaye thought back over the 53 years as pianist at Crestview and said one of the most memorable times was when she played the piano for a military service.

"I do not remember the veteran's name, but I will never forget it. It was a very unusual service," she said. "Most of the funeral service took place inside the church that day and that was when back when we were in a building on top of the hill on Church Street," she said. "I will never forget that."

The most difficult times as a pianist were presenting music for funerals. "The happy times would be the weddings," she said, adding she usually had to learn new music for weddings.

Gaye said when she told the church deacons of her decision to retire, "I told them I was not going anywhere." So the Sunday after retirement, she joined her husband Bobby in the choir where they plan to continue serving the Lord.

"It is a little different," she said. But it was time.

Thinking about all the hymns she has played at Crestview, her favorite is "It is Well With My Soul,"

And it seems to fit her life these new days of retirement.