"Music You Are a Friend to Me" was Massapequa resident Frances Sontag's theme through her lifetime. It became the reverse, also, as she was a devoted and faithful friend to music.

She had introduced this choral piece to the Seaford, Long Island District Chorus. She taught in this district for 31 years until 1991. After she retired, she become an adjunct in the department of music education at C.W. Post teaching methods and keyboard harmony. She stated that she enjoyed working with future music educators.

Other than teaching, she was an active member of the Nassau Music Educators Association for many years and they presented her with a brick in the Music Educators Association Headquarters "Walk of Fame" in Reston, VA. Fran, also, served as president of NMEA on the advisory board and as an all state adjudicator of NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association).

This intelligent and amazingly energetic "lady" joined the Massapequa American Association of University Women (AAUW) and served as president for four years during which time she co-organized the Chordalairs of AAUW. She had brilliantly arranged the songs and melodies with such expertise and ease, she also had been the accompanist for the Seaford Community Marian Male Chorus for 13 years.

Fran had a wonderful pleasant calmness about her, so, to know her was to love her. She passed away this December and we miss her tremendously but her soft demeanor and her music will always resound through and around us. She has made music a friend to us too!

Massapequa AAUW