Sammie Olkinetzky:
Fifty years as a Lutheran Church Choir Director in Oklahoma

Originally from Ada, Oklahoma, Sammie Olkinetzky received her Master's Degree in Music Education from the University of Oklahoma. She began as a guest soloist performing Christmas and Easter cantatas with the Trinity Lutheran Church choir in Norman, Oklahoma under the direction of John Norman. When John left to continue his studies in 1957, he recommended Sammie to replace him as the Choir Director. Sammie called this "the happiest coincidence of my life."

Sammie had three groups under her charge while at Trinity: the "St. Timothy Choir" (children in grades 1 through 4); the "St. David Choir" (children in grades 5 though 10) and the "Bach Choir" (adults). The adult choir had 14 members when Sammie took the reigns.

Even back then, Sammie was known as someone who would encourage anyone to pursue their passion to sing. She would reportedly respond to people who claimed that they "couldn't carry a tune in a basket" with "We'll even provide the basket if you'll but try to exercise your vocal cords!"

Pastor William H. Hecht

In 1963, Sammie served as a "dual choir director." Pastor Hecht (whom served from 1963-1967) from the newly formed University Lutheran Church brought his congregation to Trinity Lutheran to worship. Their membership had grown beyond the space available in the apartment where they held Sunday services, and since Trinity was without a pastor, it was a perfect arrangement.

Pastor Hecht fondly remembers Sammie as "a genius... The best choir director that I've ever known," and even recollects her attempts to recruit him for choir; "Sammie told me 'You could actually learn to sing,' I told her 'It was a hopeless cause'." Pastor Hecht also recalls "One of the things that was a super attraction [to our visitors] was the choir," and "we always had fabulous festivals, the Christmas and Easter Musical [performances]."

Pastor David Klumpp

Our next full-time Pastor, who served more than thirty years alongside Sammie, (from January 1968 to March 1998), was David Klumpp from New Orleans, Louisiana. Pastor Klumpp's first words in regards to Sammie's achievement were "talk about stick-to-a-tive-ness!" He also recommended that we make the celebration "part toast and part roast." Pointing out, in good nature, that Sammie did the same thing to him at his retirement, when she joked that the Pastor's chanting of the Settings was "remarkably consistent, although it wasn't what the book said." He confided that while "some people cultivate their voices, other people just plow them under!"

Joking aside, Pastor Klumpp had nothing but positive things to say. "I frankly was a little intimidated and in awe of Sammie," pointing out that the job of Director of Music "requires some stamina and courage." "I never worried about the music," he said, "Organists come and go, but Sammie and I stuck around... Sammie was the person who represented continuity." Sammie also supplied another critical aspect to the worship service, as Pastor Klumpp remembers that "Music was one of our strong suits... To have a strong music program where music is a part of the school...was helpful." Adding, "She set the bar high, and maintained it. And that's not an easy thing to do."

Pastor Klumpp also complemented Sammie's team-building skills and how accommodating she was with visiting composers, saying "She not only can help people sing well, but she has the people skills to help them get together. You have to get them to sing in harmony and live in harmony -- and she works well in both."

The biggest transition that the choir experienced during Pastor Klumpp's tenure was when the choir moved from the chancel to the back of the church, to sit with the new organ that was being installed. "Sammie understood it and was supportive of it," he recollects, and adding that Sammie's support "made the transition smooth."

Pastor Klumpp fondly remembers the Advent Christmas Choir services as his favorite, but also admits that it was partly because "It gets you out of a sermon." Because, during the busy Christmas season, he felt there were a few redundant sermons. "It worked out extremely well...for the timing."

Interim Pastor Mary Peterson

Mary Peterson, our Interim Pastor from 1998-1999, became very good friends with Sammie during her one year office. "While we were working together," she says, "I realized and appreciated the depth of Sammie's knowledge of the Lutheran liturgy and tradition and the skill with which she so joyfully and enthusiastically put that knowledge to work in everything she did."

"In the moment, I was always grateful for being able to count on her integrity and her special gift for truth-telling. From the first time I spoke with her, I knew that I could trust her, and that is an invaluable resource for any pastor. As the years have passed, my admiration and appreciation for Sammie have only grown. I miss her every single Sunday...and the days in between, too!"

Pastor Sally Roach

Pastor Sally Roach (served as the ULC Pastor 1999-2003) remembers Sammie as "joyful, helpful, smart and always ready for hard work." To her, Sammie is "a musician that's so versatile and able to do so many styles of music," adding that she does contemporary and traditional music "with a flare that fills people with a sense of the presence of God."

"Her biggest gift," she states, "is her ability to build communities at the church and within the choir... and to build people up who are...hesitant about their music skills to become a wonderful part of the choir." One example of this was when Pastor Roach asked the Confirmation students to play a more active role in the church; part of their confirmation studies included practicing with the church choir for an entire spring season. Sammie welcomed the idea and helped each student learn where their voice would fit in the choir.

Pastor Roach most enjoyed the "marvelous performances" of the Lessons & Carols Christmas services. She points out that this was a favorite with the parish as well, recalling how members of the church who had moved away would make a trip back to take in the service. Pastor Roach said this was because the Lessons & Carols mass was "so connected to the life of our service."

Pastor Mike Girlinghouse

Pastor Mike Girlinghouse, who began serving at University Lutheran Church in July 2005, remembers one of Sammie's first comments to him was that he looked "younger than [her] son." Along with her "good sense of humor," Pastor Girlinghouse also appreciates Sammie's inherent knowledge of "what works" musically in our church, both with the congregation and the capabilities of the choir.

"She expects the choir to perform to a very high standard," he says about Sammie's work ethic, "she gives people high standards and helps them aspire to meet them." He also points out that it is "unique to have a choir that sings two anthems a week," calling it "ambitious," because most choirs perform half as much or even less. In addition, he describes Sammie's 40 years at ULC achievement as "amazing that anyone could direct the same choir for so long," acknowledging how she still "stays abreast of what's being written," and jokes that she "doesn't do just Bach." In fact, the Pastor pointed out that she brings an excellent mix of old and new music to the service and has singled-handedly "developed the musical repertoire of the choir."

Although Pastor Mike instantly mentioned Lessons & Carols as his favorite musical performance at our church, he also pointed out that his installation as Pastor was a memorable performance both for him and for our special guests. "The pastors [who attended from other churches] were impressed by the quality...of our music."

A final "note..."

In September 1967, just five months after holding their first service in a chapel, it was officially announced that Sammie would serve University Lutheran Church as the Director of Music "for the coming year." The expectation of a single year, turned into the enchantment of a total of forty-two years of service with University Lutheran Church and Student Center and, when combined with her eight years of service at Trinity Lutheran, marks one half century serving as a Lutheran choir director in the state of Oklahoma.

We have a link to the version of this which appeared in the Norman Transcript (although we cannot count on the longevity of this link) Note also that this was published June 18, 2007 (not 2001 as indicated on their page!).