There are moments in a life that aren’t often thought of, but if we were to reflect on them we would see that they are special. Important. So important that they can completely change the course of a life. Or hundreds of lives. Or thousands of lives. So many people we meet, friends we make, and people we affect – can be traced back to these special moments when something happened that made us go in a different direction.
Bellevue East Choir Director Dr. Marjorie Simons-Bester recently retired, completing her 44-year career with Bellevue Public Schools. It’s an amazing accomplishment as only a tiny fraction of educators in the nation continue past 40 years. However, there’s something interesting that you may not know about the beloved teacher.
Dr. Simons-Bester initially accepted a job with Lincoln Public Schools in 1979.
“After I interviewed with Lincoln Public Schools, Bellevue Public Schools, and Omaha Public Schools, I received a job offer from Lincoln. I quickly called Bellevue to see if there were any openings and was told there were none. I thanked them, called Lincoln Public Schools, and accepted their offer,” Simons-Bester said.
Had that been it, it’s a little staggering to think of all of the students, parents, and teachers in the Bellevue community that would not have ever known Simons-Bester, and how different some of their lives might have been.
But this was one of those special moments.
“That same afternoon, I received a call from Bellevue Public Schools asking if I had signed anything yet. I told them no and they sent Fort Crook Elementary Principal Roger Bickford to my parent’s house with a contract to sign!”
With that, Simons-Bester started her BPS career at Fort Crook Elementary School in the fall of 1979. She moved on to Mission Junior High (as it was known back then) in 1983. She ended up at Bellevue East in 1992. It would be her final destination with BPS as she stayed with the Chieftains until retirement.
As Simons-Bester shared about her various programs and productions, she estimated that she had been a part of over 250 individual productions, involving thousands of Bellevue students.
Simons-Bester first arrived in Bellevue the summer before her 9th grade year. “I am a proud Air Force brat,” Simons-Bester said. “Dad was stationed at Offutt. He was a radio operator and flew Lookingglass missions.”
During our interview, Simons-Bester revealed a few things about her time as a student at Bellevue High.
Simons-Bester is a Bellevue alum, graduating from Bellevue High School in 1975. Three teachers she named as inspirational and highly influential include Allen Barnard – “He is incredible. For years I had no idea how well-known and well-respected both he and the Bellevue High program were“, Kent Hanon – “I was so proud to know that he was on stage at the Omaha Community Playhouse while he was teaching us.“, and her economics teacher Anita Ingardia – “During the blizzard of 1975 many of us were stuck at school. Mrs. Ingardia drove me home through the blizzard and I remember thinking how amazing it was that she cared enough about me to do that.”
Her favorite class, of course, was choir. Simons-Bester and her friends used to hang out at the Denny’s on Fort Crook Road (near Skate City).
Some of her favorite singers and songwriters include Carol King, James Taylor, Loggins & Messina, and Dan Fogelberg. Her favorite group was Earth, Wind, & Fire, and her favorite song was “That’s the Way of the World“.
Now that she is a retired teacher, Simons-Bster said that she would like to remember what it feels like to do nothing and not feel guilty. Beyond that she mentioned her love for cooking and that she plans on doing more of that. And she still has some musical plans. Over the years she has declined many professional opportunities due to her commitment to her students. She is looking at some clinician work and judging competitions. She also recently had her first conducting audition.
Simons-Bester chose to end the interview with some words of wisdom for future generations of students. She shared one of her favorite quotes ‘The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. -Pablo Picaso’ and, inspired by those words, added, “Don’t be afraid to search for your gifts. Once you find them, make your community and the world a better place by sharing them.”
A few former and current students remember Dr. Simons-Bester and her impact on their lives…
“Dr. B. is a powerful force. Her ability to not only teach, but touch the lives of everyone she meets is unmatched. She brings the joy of music out of every student, making each song the absolute best it could be. Her conducting, her grace, her confidence, and her innate goodness puts being in her choir one of the experiences students continue to rejoice throughout the rest of their lives. May she enjoy her new schedule, and we can’t wait to see what she does next!”
–Eastin Yates, Bellevue East – Class of 2009
“Doc B was a great teacher and mentor. But most importantly to me she was just an all around amazing human being. She believed in me when I couldn’t or wouldn’t believe in myself. She lifted me up when I was dragging myself down. And whether she knows it or not, She saved my life being there through my hard times, and I wouldn’t be here today to tell you this if it weren’t for her and all my classmates who helped bring me out of the dark back then. Congrats Doc! Enjoy retirement you deserve it!”
–Travis Johnson, Bellevue East – Class of 2011
“Dr. Simons-Bester (or Mrs. B from my days) was my most influential teacher. I was privileged to be her student for all 4 years of high school, spending several hours under her direction each day. Her meticulous attention to detail in vocal music taught me a sense of discipline that transferred to many other subjects and hobbies. Through her example, I learned the importance of high expectations and continual learning. My time spent in the choir room are full of cherished memories. She presented us with a wide variety of vocal music and pushed me to seek out new genres and composers. We sang everything! Latin, French, Swahili, even Russian texts were part of our repertoire. We even did overtone singing! In fact, many pieces I performed in college were pieces I learned in her choir room. She set the bar so high for us and gave Bellevue Public Schools a well-deserved reputation for excellence in vocal music. Her commitment to teaching every single student how to sight-sing with solfège leaves me in awe. I remember her often reminding us that we needed to activate both sides of our brain. I use this in my own classroom today.
Beyond her pedagogical expertise, Mrs. B was FUN! Her wit, sense of humor, and broadway-level facial expressions made every rehearsal an adventure. She knew instinctively what would motivate us to be better.
As a current educator, I strive to follow her example to inspire my students to achieve greatness by perfecting the fundamentals and truly believing in my students’ abilities. Her inspiration continues to impact another generation of students in all areas. I teach Math and Music and I know I would not be the teacher I am today without her influence!”
-Shawn Berry, Bellevue East – Class of 1999
“Mrs. Simons-Bester, or Mrs. B, as everyone lovingly called her, touched the lives of so many students, me included. Her knowledge, expertise, and determination led so many to great achievements and awards. I learned an abundance of musical theory, and appreciation for the arts in her class. She is an amazing teacher, mentor, and friend, and I wish her all the best in retirement.”
-Sue (Garrison) Spencer, Bellevue East – Class of 2005
“Dr. B is one of the most hardworking educators I have ever known. She would continue to challenge us and taught us the value of music. She is a strong proponent of individuality and loved to see her students grow into their own. She was a second mom to a lot of us. I hope she enjoys her much deserved retirement.”
-Blake Jeffers, Bellevue East – Class of 2013
“My class was a fun-loving class by nature and was pretty much about to burst with how many little jokes or sassy remarks we had. But Doc always reigned us in whenever it was time to sing. Not that she was super strict, but she kept communal and focused on the music. Allowing us to form strong bonds with each other and grow both as people and musicians.”
–John Knott, Bellevue East – Class of 2024
