Verne Windham

Spouse:  Susan

Kids:

     Hannah Kendrick 20
     Jonathan 15
     Jesse 13

Remember that field trip in 2nd grade to see The Record Man & The Story Lady?  I guess it made an impression, because I have been doing public radio in Spokane since the mid 80s.  That followed my first career, as principal horn player of the Spokane Symphony, and is concurrent with my present passion; conductor of the Spokane Youth Symphony.  (I guess that came from that MHS Pep Band conducting.)

After high school I got my degree from the Eastman School of Music, then defended New York against music as a member of the Army Band there.  When I came to Spokane in 1971 to play in the Spokane Symphony, my first wife and I were urban hippies with our goat farm in Hangman Valley.

My wife Susan is a wonderful singer, and we have two teenage boys who play tuba and drums.  I had my children much later than most of you.  They may have to push their doddering old dad in a wheelchair to their graduation ceremonies.

Being in the public arena, I had a highly publicized throat cancer four years ago.  A great surgeon and some radiation later it is all gone.  I still get to Moscow to see my mother, Bertha. She has Alzheimer's, but usually recognizes me.  Some of you had her as your second grade teacher.

You can catch me on the radio most mornings at 91.1 On the web it is KPBX.org.

I hope to see you in July.