Jeanne Marie Porter Organ has brought heavenly sounds to Epiphany for 20 years. On June 16, 1984, tragedy struck the lives of a Kingsville family when 21-year-old Jeanne Marie Porter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William W. Price of Kingsville and William B. Porter of California, was killed in an automobile accident in Austin.

In response to her death, her family requested that memorial donations be made to a fund to build a pipe organ for Epiphany Church, where she was a member.

Raising funds was a community-wide effort, and many Kingsville residents contributed.

Five years later, the organ was completed and dedicated in her memory.

For twenty years, the Jeanne Marie Porter Organ has brought beauty and joy to Kingsville.

This December marks the anniversary of the instrument’s dedication, and Epiphany offered a public concert in it’s celebration.

Nationally known organist Robert MacDonald to perform this Saturday and Sunday at The Church of the Epiphany. On Saturday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m., nationally-famous organist Robert MacDonald, formerly the organist at Radio City Music Hall and The Riverside Church in New York City, will be on hand to lead the community in a concert of Christmas music, both sacred and secular.

The Jeanne Marie Porter Memorial Organ was custom-built by the Ross King Company of Fort Worth.

It is a 15-voice, 18-rank instrument, with a total of 932 pipes.

The organ case is eighteen feet high, primarily built of polished red oak.

The grills in the lower part of the case, made from willow, are carved to include symbols portraying the liturgical year.

Mrs. Barbara Gray- Massey, and Dr. Jason Kwak (former professor of piano at Texas A&M-Kingsville) have been the organist/ choirmasters at Epiphany since the construction of the organ.

The Church of the Epiphany celebrates Jeanne Marie Porter Organ’s 20th anniversary Miss Vanessa Valdez is currently the regular organist for Epiphany Church.

She can be heard on the Jeanne Marie Porter Organ most Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Robert MacDonald, the organist for the 20th anniversary concert, is a native of Massachusetts.

A 1959 graduate of Boston University, he earned a bachelor of music degree as an organ major.

Immediately following graduation he served in the National Guard and upon completion of duty he taught public school music in Manchester, New Hampshire and later in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

In 1969 MacDonald earned his second degree in music - again as an organ major. For the masters’ degree, he studied at the New England Conservatory of Music.

In 1969 MacDonald left Massachusetts to become the Associate Organist - Choir Director of The Riverside Church in New York City.

Concurrently, he was Director of Music and Organist at The Interchurch Center.

In 1977 he was invited to become Director of Music and Organist at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark, N.J., a position he held until 1989.

Also during that time he was a staff organist at Radio City Music Hall.

In the Fall of 1989 MacDonald was appointed Director of Music and Organist at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth, a position he held until his retirement in 2007.

MacDonald can also be heard on Sunday, Dec. 20, as Epiphany celebrates the Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols at 10: 30 a.m.