Reflections on Bea Bixler by my mother's sister, Mariane Holbrook:
My cousin, Beatrice Bush Bixler, who lived next door to us during our growing-up years in Waverly, NY, was called
Home to heaven on Friday, November 15. She was 97 years old. Bea was the wife of Rev. Clair Bixler, an Alliance pastor
in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, who predeceased her. They had four children: Betsy, Bill, Bob and Barbara.
The couple served in Alliance churches in New York and New Jersey.
Known as a prolific song writer (with well over 1,000 sacred hymns to her credit), she left her indelible imprint on hymns for
many decades, writing such time-honored classics as "The Breaking of the Bread," "I Am Not Worthy," "It May Be Today,"
"Give Them At Least One Chance," "Life Is A Symphony, "If You Only Knew," "Jesus Himself" and hundreds more.
Many were published in the popular Singspiration song books in the mid-1900s. Bea was a close friend of Christian radio host,
Bill Pierce, who regularly played Bea's songs on his "Nightsounds" programs originating from Chicago. Bea traveled extensively
over most of the United States, giving concerts at Women's retreats, annual conferences and missionary conventions of many
denominations. In addition to her studies at Nyack College, Bea studied music at Houghton College where her love for classical
music was often skillfully interwoven into her sacred music. She was as passionate ministering to groups of ten people as she
was to concert halls of thousands. Her calendar was full for several years ahead, as she was invited back again and again to
yearly events of many organizations and denominations.
Her final years were spent in a nursing home in Waverly, NY where she walked the halls, singing to those who beckoned her
from their beds. She quickly discovered a piano and began playing daily, where groups gathered around her, stunned at her
piano skills, still exciting and impressive for someone in her late 90. All of her extended family were understandably and
inordinately proud of Bea and her vast talent which, since early childhood, was God-blessed and an inspiration to tens of thousands
during her long and productive life.