Relatively speaking
Margery Rowe, of Millville, displays an article about a relative, the late Daniel Adams Butterfield, who composed "Taps." This will be one of the numbers performed this weekend by the Jubilate Deo Chorale and Orchestra in Washington Township.
Descendant of Taps' composer to narrate patriotic concert in Washington Twp.
By Joyce Vanaman
Staff Writer
MILLVILLE - Margery Rowe is looking forward to this weekend when she and Monsignor Louis Marucci will serve as narrators for a patriotic concert by the Jubilate Deo Chorale and Orchestra in Washington Township.
One of the numbers, "Taps," is especially dear to her hear, for it was written by a member of her family, Gen. Daniel Adams Butterfield, in 1862.
"My father (Walter Butterfield, of Centerton, Salem County), figures the general could be my great-great-great-grandfather or other relative," Rowe said.
Rowe's association with Marucci, now the executive director of the Jubilate Deo Chorale and Orchestra, began when he was associate pastor of St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Millville, where Rowe is a lector and a eucharistic minister.
When "Monsignor Lou" began producing the concerts with his brother, Monsignor Carl Marucci, Rowe was invited to be a co-narrator. Many people from throughout southern New Jersey perform in the chorale, including many music educators, parish music directors and other musicians of professional stature, according to Kim Quinn, of Millville, one of the singers.
While primarily Catholic, there are members of other religious denominations, Rowe said the orchestra members are paid professionals, some of whom are associated the Philadelphia Orchestra.
"The whole idea of the concerts is evangelization," Rowe said. "We want to bring quality faith music to those who might not have been able to afford it. A lot of tickets are given away. After a concert, we get letters from people who say their lives have been touched."
"The concerts have grown primarily by word of mouth to the point we've had to change the venues to accommodate larger audiences," Rowe said.
In December, the group performed at Lincoln Center and the year before at Carnegie Hall in New York, Rowe said. It has also done many Christmas and Easter concerts, but this weekend's patriotic concert is something new.
In addition to preparing for the concert, Rowe has spent much of her summer vacation preparing for the 150-mile National Multiple Sclerosis Society bike tour. She and several other teachers ride 15 to 20 miles a day, except when it rains. There are approximately 17 riders from Cumberland County this year on the "Holy Rollers" team, Rowe said.
Monsignor Lou, who has MS, has been the inspiration for the group, according to Rowe.
Row's husband, Brian, a mechanical engineer at Wheaton USA, serves as the volunteer mechanic for the bike tour.
A teacher in Millville for the past 10 years, Rowe, 49, began her teaching career in Lower Alloways Creek Township in Salem County. She taught for 12 years, took seven years off to raise her children, Brian, 17, and Alison, 15, then began teaching in Millville. Currently, Rowe teaches seventh-grade science at Lakeside Middle School, where she is the science-team leader.
Rowe, who grew up in Centerton, Salem County, is a graduate of Penn State University and has a master's degree from Rowan University in environmental education. Rowe also is a devoted "soccer mom." Both children play soccer, and her husband is a coach.