FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Ellen Carter has recently become the new organist at Fairhope Christian Church and is currently working with the choir on music for Easter Week. With her outgoing personality and beautiful smile, she is an asset to the church and community.

Carter has a performance certificate from the Eastman School of Music, a Bachelor of science in applied mathematics from Georgetown College, a  bachelor’s degree from NYU in cello performance, a master’s degree in musicology from Penn State, and a PhD. in ethnomusicology from Trinity University. She is retired from the service after 23 years of service.

In addition to her duties as organist, Carter has 12 string students in Pascagoula and teaches violin on Fridays and Saturdays in Selma, Ala.

On Wednesday mornings, she volunteers at WHIL, a Mobile radio station, for their Radio Reading Service where she reads Parade magazine to vision impaired listeners.

Born in Fort Campbell, Ky., but with a career Army father, Carter  has lived many places. Last year she lived in Pascagoula with a sister after Hurricane Katrina forced her and a number of her pets out of Biloxi. In July, after scanning the Internet, she packed her RV and started looking for a new place to settle. On Sept. 22, she picked Fairhope. She says the deciding factor was our brand new library!

Carter has two grown daughters. Jenny Barman  is an international banker for Sony. She lives in Seattle and is the mother of 1-year-old Ellen Camille. Callie Carter, the other daughter, is an environmental lawyer in Los Angeles.