Joe Wray was a “friend of long standing” — I don’t remember when we met.

We were in meetings together, shared many lunches, and I visited him Sundays at White Oak in recent years. I tuned his piano and enjoyed visits in the house and garden of the home near Lake Lanier that he shared with his wife, also named Frances.

Joe was always the gracious host and happy to share thoughts and ideas about a world of subjects, as befits a teacher. The late Ron Mosseller brought Joe into his group of flying enthusiasts who shared luncheons to talk flying.

Joe fit right in, listening and learning, as was his manner. Joe even accepted his confinement to a room at White Oak, his big round face breaking into a grin and his eyes, seen clearly in those big lenses, always brightening in recognition as we shared an always cheerful conversation.

I remember seeing Julia and Richard Fasnacht mostly at the Columbus United Methodist Church’s spaghetti suppers. Being the outgoing and friendly sort that Julia was, she had already made herself known to me at Polk County Historical Association meetings and also at the Community Chorus concerts.

I liked both of them and had missed seeing them in recent years.

The naming of Eunice Waymon’s birthplace as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation did not go unnoticed, for sure.

Local media had nice coverage of the doings at her childhood home, which was also mentioned on national TV and in newspapers. Crys Armbrust put together a fine gathering of musicians in Rogers Park for the occasion.

My connection with her was as a fellow piano pupil of Mrs. Lawrence Mazzanovich. Mrs. Mazzy sponsored a recital in her studio to raise funds to send 15-year-old Eunice off to school and asked me to hand-letter 50 programs.

That got me admission to the event, so I got to hear the program as Mrs. Mazzy put Eunice thru her paces: Eunice identified notes played behind her back, then improvised music on a group of randomly selected notes supplied by the audience.

I was more interested in her playing of Mrs. Mazzy’s big Weber grand piano. Eunice had perfect hands for the piano, including nice pads at her fingertips.

She loved to play Bach, so we got a nice suite by him. Shy when being “tested,” Eunice quickly changed to the assured personality that enabled her to play so beautifully, totally focused on the music. A Beethoven Sonata and some short pieces by Chopin and Debussy filled the remainder of the program.

I have read the autobiography of Nina Simone and contributed to “Princess Noire,” a biography by Nadine Cohodas. I also heard Nina perform at Hampton Institute back in the ‘70s when she was riding high in her career.

I did not try to see her afterward because of the throng of her admirers. I probably could have seen her if I had taken one of those programs I did!

When my friend Kipp McIntyre was restoring the Waymon house, he discovered that the siding coming off the Pacolet Baptist Church building was an exact match to that on the house! The old church building, in which I sat with my grandfather in the “Amen Corner,” was being dismantled by its new owner for the building materials instead of just being demolished. Good idea.

I attended the funeral for Nina Simone/Eunice Waymon and met her sister, Frances Waymon Fox, and many others there. The little church was overflowing as people came from far and near to pay their respects.

Mrs. Mazzy was, and I am, proud of our Eunice/Nina.