Wilberta (Naden) Pickett ’50 has penned a story on the Illinois Wesleyan alumni and professors who impacted her life. Wilberta pays homage to her first piano teacher, Luetta “Peggy” (Zahn) Cummins Moore ’32, who cultivated a love and appreciation for music during Wilberta’s childhood growing up in St. Anne, Illinois.

“I owe Peggy Cummins a deep debt of gratitude, and Illinois Wesleyan’s Music School an equally deep debt, for educating her and for educating me,” wrote Wilberta, who was also thankful for lessons delivered later in her childhood by Mary (Badger) Coulter ’37. At Illinois Wesleyan, Wilberta credits professors Kenneth Cuthbert, Lillian (Mecherle) McCord ’27, Lloyd Pfautsch ’78 and Gretchen Van Roy for providing inspiration. Later, at Union Theological Seminary, she found friendly faces in professor Robert Baker ’38 and his wife Mary (Depler) Baker ’38.

Wilberta has served churches as an organist and choir director in Richmond, Indiana, suburban Cleveland and suburban Pittsburgh. Wilberta and her husband John live in a retirement community in the Pittsburgh area, where Wilberta has chaired the music events committee and has played the piano at many events, and the couple still sings together in their church choir. “Music has enriched the lives of everyone in our family, including our five children, 13 grandchildren and 10-and-a-half great-grandchildren, thanks to the early and continuing education I received from Wesleyanites.”