This is an announcement that Mommy helped Grandma Judi write when she donated the piano:
On December 10th, Judith Famous, along with her family, donated a [insert type] piano to Emory United Methodist Church. Placed in the sanctuary of the church, the piano is meant to serve as a memorial to her mother, Emma Lloyd. As a doting grandmother of Judi’s children Mark, Tod and Lucinda, Emma was a regular visitor to Mill Green and embraced the entire Famous clan. While in the neighborhood, Emma became a part of the Emory congregation and enthusiastically participated in services… she was often “caught” singing with the Emory Choir.
Emma grew up in a small row house in Southwest Philadelphia, which was shared by three generations of her family. For the family of recent immigrants, German was the primary language spoken and music was always present through song. As a child, Emma longed to learn to play the piano. With limited funds, this was not possible. Emma attended West Philadelphia High School where she received many honors, especially in business courses. From childhood until her recent death, she was a member of the Woodland Avenue Presbyterian Church and even met her husband-to-be, John Lloyd (“Jack”), at the church’s youth fellowship. Emma’s husband served the U.S. in World War II. As soon as he returned from the war, he and Emma started a family. Emma worked most of her life doing bookkeeping for ice cream companies. Her grandchildren’s earliest memories include the smoking, dried ice packages loaded with Abbott’s Ice Cream that she and her husband brought down to the Famous farm on almost every visit.
Emma’s daughters, Judith, Janet and June (“Heather”), were always surrounded by music. Records, songs and free concerts were a part of their daily lives. Funds were still limited but luckily for the girls there was an instrumental music program at their school that provided free lessons and the opportunity to purchase instruments through regular payments. It was through a pastor’s wife that Emma was finally able to get piano music in her life. Her daughter, Judi, was given access to a piano and lessons in exchange for babysitting. Over the years, Judi became a competent piano player. It took Emma 40 years, but she finally got a piano! Her lifelong love of the instrument has been passed down to her children and grandchildren, as well as many others whom she influenced and supported.
Throughout Emma’s life, the church was a powerful force. She served it in every capacity possible: as deacon, as teacher and, of course, as loyal choir member. She planned her evenings and weekends around church activities. Emma gave freely of her time and talents to the church.
It is because of her love of piano music and devotion to the Christian church that a piano given to the Emory community was chosen as a memorial to her. Hopefully, Emma will live on through the music the piano provides in the worship of God.