Norma Regina Hooks, age 73, of Finksburg passed away Monday, July 16, 2018 at Carroll Lutheran Village in Westminster. Born December 1, 1944 in Baltimore, she was the daughter of Morris and Fannie Harber. She was the wife of Phillip Hooks.
A lifelong musician, she began her musical career in the 3rd grade by playing clarinet. In the 8th grade at Pimlico Jr. High, under the direction of Sidney Jensen, Norma began her love affair with the bassoon. She went on to study privately with Ed Gobrecht,… Read More » a member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
She performed with the Maryland All-State Band, and under scholarship, went on to study with Homer Pence at Ball State Teacher’s College in Muncie, Indiana. In 1964, Norma married French horn player Phil Hooks, and moved to Finksburg. She was a freelance bassoonist and privately taught bassoon and oboe in Carroll and surrounding counties.
She was a skilled bassoon reed maker and her reeds were much in demand. She was an adjunct bassoon teacher at Western Maryland College, which later became McDaniel College. She also taught double reed pedagogy.
She played professionally for many years in Baltimore Park Bands. Norma was a longtime member of the International Double Reed Society, an organization dedicated to the furtherance of double reed performance and pedagogy. She first served as Secretary, then as the Conference Coordinator, and finally for many years as Executive Secretary/Treasurer.
Her duties took her to venues across the United States and to Canada, Argentina, Australia, Japan, Thailand, Germany, England, Austria and The Netherlands. For a number of years Norma and Phil played in the VA-National Medical Musical Group (MMG) Orchestra. The MMG is an award-winning organization comprised primarily of doctors, nurses, clinicians, and other specialty musicians such as bassoonists and horn players.
They play mostly patriotic music programs in the U.S. and abroad and are dedicated to veterans. Some of the venues included the Kennedy Center, Chicago Symphony Center, the U.S. House of Representatives, the World War II Memorial, and overseas locations including the Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa, and Air Force bases in Germany. While her two sons, Marc and Scott, played in the Westminster High School Band she was an enthusiastic member of the band boosters and helped organize many fundraisers for the school group.
Norma also founded the Twelve Bassoons of Christmas, which performed in malls at Christmastime. She played in the Columbia Orchestra for 25 years and served as its music librarian. She shared her skill in playing the bassoon with many community organizations, including the September Song pit orchestra, the Carroll Concert Band, the Encore Orchestra, McDaniel College ensembles, and area churches.
Norma was a completed Jew and was an active member of Westminster Baptist Church. She served the church in many capacities including singing in the choir, directing youth activities, and was editor of the monthly newsletter. Norma also sang in the National Christian Choir in their tour of Israel.
In addition, Norma served as the Secretary/Treasurer of Allied Medical Ministries (Med-Mins), an organization dedicated to supplying medicines and supplies to needy people throughout the world. Some of these volunteer activities took her to Kenya, Zambia and Belarus. She was also keenly aware of the medical needs of her neighbors in Carroll County.
Before the county had facilities for kidney dialysis patients, she was part of a group of volunteers who provided transportation for patients to the dialysis center at University Hospital in Baltimore. Surviving in addition to her husband are son Rev. Marc Ira and daughter-in-law Kellye Hooks of McKinney, Texas, and grandchildren Sarah Beth Rundio and her husband Derek Rundio, Hannah Hooks, and John Hooks.
And son Scott and daughter-in-law Kim Hooks of Bedford, Virginia with foster granddaughter Kayleigh. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brother, William and sister, Leona. A Celebration of Life will be held for residents and staff of Carroll Lutheran Village (CLV) Thursday, July 19, at 11 a.m. in Krug Chapel, 300 St. Luke Cir.
, Westminster. The family will receive friends in the chapel of Pritt’s Funeral Home, 412 Washington Road, Westminster, on Friday, July 20, from 2-4 p.m., and 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted at Westminster Baptist Church, 354 Crest Lane, Westminster, on Saturday, July 21 at 11 a.m., with visitation one hour prior to the start of services. A luncheon will follow for family and friends at the church, and a graveside service will be held in Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Finksburg at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in her honor to Mission Dignity retired pastors fund through Westminster Baptist Church, 354 Crest Ln, Westminster, Maryland.
21157. Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.
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