Story by
Renee Corwine
Photos by
There aren’t many 5-year-olds who know exactly what they want to do when they grow up – much less actually stick to it. Marian Dampier is the exception. “I was 5. My dad was a Marine and we lived in Parris Island, South Carolina,” Marian said. “I remember clearly, there was a vacant lot near our house. I was playing with friends on the swing set and must have been talking about what I wanted to do when I grew up. I remember saying, ‘I’m going to college to study music.’ It never occurred to me that other children didn’t know what they were going to do when they grew up!” What young Marian didn’t know, however, was that her love of singing would take her around the world and lead to performances inside professional sports arenas, at famous landmarks and most importantly, she would impact the lives of children for 32 years and counting. Marian grew up in a musical family. “My mother played the piano and to go around the piano and sing was just a normal evening activity in our house,” she said. Marian’s brother, Ray Gotko, has a doctorate in Music Theory and taught at the University of Georgia before pursuing the ministry. As for Marian, voice lessons at age 15 led to a Bachelor’s in Music Education with a minor in Voice from Converse College in Spartanburg, SC.
Tinika Bennett Photography She then earned a Master’s in Music Education from UGA. Her teaching career began in Spartanburg and then led her to Albany, where she met her future husband, Joel, who had a young son named Matt. At the time, Joel was a Frigidaire representative for General Motors, and his sales work took him to Albany. “A good friend of mine told me he wanted me to meet a nice, young lady and thought that I would like her – and of course, I did,” Joel said with a smile. “We both had friends working in the same place,” Marian added. “I had children at home, taught elementary school all day, and just needed someone to go have coffee with!” It must have been a great brew, because Marian and Joel have been married for 46 years. After they married, Marian moved to Warner Robins, where Joel lived. She quickly took a job as an Elementary Music Specialist in the school system at Robins Air Force Base, where she taught children in kindergarten through sixth grade and directed the fourth, fifth and sixth grade chorus. Once here in Warner Robins, Marian devoted time to raising her three daughters – Lynmarie, Monica and Susan – and took a musical clef dive into sharing her voice with the community. Since moving here in 1972, she’s been the choir director
Marian grew up in a musical family. “My mother played the piano and to go around the piano and sing was just a normal evening activity in our house,” she said. Marian’s brother, Ray Gotko, has a doctorate in Music Theory and taught at the University of Georgia before pursing the ministry. As for Marian, voice lessons at age 15 led to a Bachelor’s in Music Education with a minor in Voice from Converse College in Spartanburg, S.C. She then earned a Master’s in Music Education from UGA.
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