Staff News: Euanna Pigford.

Euanna Pigford, who has served with Word of Life in some way for the past 47 years, finished up as the Bible Institute’s music coordinator in May and will retire from Word of Life at the end of this summer.

Euanna started with Word of Life in the summer of 1965, when she first attended the Island as a camper. She has been involved with Word of Life ever since. She sang in the Word of Life ensemble and was a counselor on the Island for several summers before helping lead the counselor program.

Euanna loved music since she was a little girl. She wanted to take piano lessons, so for her seventh birthday, her parents bought her a piano and arranged for lessons. In eighth grade, all her friends started to quit playing the piano, so she thought she should do that, too. Her father told her that wasn’t an option, so she stuck to it.

After becoming a school teacher and teaching young people of all ages, Euanna also served in several churches, leading choirs. She accepted a position teaching voice at Adirondack Community College and assumed she would be doing that for the rest of her working career, but when her friend, Brian Donley, the music director at the Bible Institute, became ill, she was asked to help out and led the program after Brian went home to be with the Lord.

Euanna has loved working with the students at the Bible Institute. She says, “My job is to prepare students for service after the Bible Institute.” She knows that God has placed us where we are for a reason, and that we never know how He will use us. She has had an incredible influence in the lives of thousands of young people.

“What a model of faithfulness Euanna has been over the years. Words hardly express what she means to all of us here at Word of Life. I have so many incredible memories of serving with her on the Island, enjoying her piano and organ talents at the Inn, and watching her love and lead the Bible Institute Collegians. She’s like a sister to me and, of course, my favorite piano teacher!” — Don Lough, Jr.

“I have known Euanna for more than 35 years. Her servant’s spirit combined with her outstanding skills in music and leadership have made an indelible impact in the lives of thousands of young people. Her service is a reminder that God uses people who make themselves available to Him, for His use, and for His glory!” — John Nelson

“Euanna always had a passion for musical excellence. She never would settle for merely OK or good, because she strives for the best. Combine that with her incredible loving spirit for her students, and she was not only a great teacher, but also a good friend.” — Michael Kilbride, Class of 2009 and 2011

“Miss Pigford is one of the greatest encouragers I have ever met. Her inspiring optimism and love for people came from a desire to please her Savior. By modeling this, she taught us to have a passion for service and ministry for an audience of One.” — Rachel Mallory, Class of 2010 and 2011

Staff News: Sharon Wagoner.

The New York campus is saying goodbye to a familiar face this year. Sharon Wagoner, who has been with the Bible Institute since 1985, is retiring after serving as school’s registrar since July 1997. Before that, she was the assistant dean of women in New York for 12 years.

Sharon was also active in her local church, Mountainside Bible Chapel, where she served as the church clerk and in the ladies missionary fellowship. Sharon is now heading to Sarasota, Florida.

"Sharon was an encourager to me as a co-worker. She enjoyed the academic process and took the administrative load off of me so I could focus on the classroom. She was serious when it came to accuracy in office procedures but personable to staff and students as the job was being accomplished. We will miss her pleasant efficiency and crafty comments!” — Dr. Tom Davis

 “Sharon had the office right across from mine and typically got in very early most mornings. Sometimes I would try to slip by her door and into the office unnoticed, but invariably I would hear a cheery voice say, ‘Good morning.’ It was always a good reminder to me that we were a team at the Bible Institute, and keeping to ourselves was not an option.” — Dr. Marshall Wicks