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Dr. Stephen Lange retired in 2015, after 45 years at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in downtown Lansing where he served as organist and choirmaster and minister of music. He passed away in January 2023, leaving his wife, Nancy, to carry on his legacy.

Nancy and Steve met in the late 1960s in a classroom at Michigan State University. Little did they know they would embark on a journey that would leave an indelible mark on the world of music education. 

Their passion for music led them to earn an impressive six degrees from MSU, with five of them in music. Steve started work at St. Paul’s in 1970, and he received his PhD from MSU in 1978. An accomplished organist and choir leader, Steve made a big impression on generations of people through his patience, relentless positivity, and musicality. 

To honor him, Nancy established the Organ Scholarship in memory of Dr. Stephen Lange at MSU and documented a significant gift through their estate to establish a music education scholarship for students studying organ or voice. 

“Steve taught, inspired and loved people of all ages, but his favorite students were always teenagers. He delighted in their energy, joy, openness, and unlimited ability to learn,” Nancy said. “Financially helping future MSU voice and organ students is a way to continue sharing this love.”

Steve’s positive impact on the Greater Lansing community is so widespread that the fund Nancy established received contributions from numerous individuals and organizations. In an article in the Lansing State Journal following Steve’s passing, a former student and writer Graham Couch described why having so many contributors was not surprising.

“I, too, am one of the hundreds whose life was shaped by Steve Lange, one of the many to grow up in his children’s choirs at St. Paul’s,” Couch wrote in 2023. “One of the many choristers to take part in the musicals he led. And one of the hundreds to be included on one of the 11 trips to England with the high school choir that he and Nancy spearheaded.”

This year, scholarships were awarded to three deserving students, one of whom had the privilege of studying organ under Steve's guidance. Over time, Nancy’s generosity will further extend the ripple effect of Steve’s commitment to music education. An example of Steve’s legacy already at work Steve’s former student, Hae Won Jang, who is the College of Music’s current instructor of organ, imparting what he taught her to a new generation of students. 

“Teaching Hae Won Jang was one of his greatest privileges and joys,” Nancy said. “Her incredible talent is combined with an amazing work ethic and delightful personality. He thought teaching didn’t get any better than working with someone like her, and now she is sharing her knowledge, talent and love of music with future MSU organists.”

Nancy's honoring of Steve and her dedication to the future of music education did not end with the establishment of the organ scholarship. In a gesture that speaks volumes about her commitment to nurturing musical talent, she documented through their estate a generous bequest to create the Stephen R. Lange and Nancy R. Lange University Music Scholarship.

This bequest aims to create a lasting impact by establishing a music education scholarship for students focusing on organ or voice. Such a significant contribution ensures that the Lange legacy will continue to thrive, providing opportunities for aspiring musicians to follow in the footsteps of Steve and Nancy.

“I was blessed to be a vocal music teacher for 38 years in Grand Ledge. Teaching that long in one place gave me the opportunity to work with ‘kids of kids’ and watch graduates go on to share their love of music through teaching and performing,” Nancy explained. “Both Steve and I cherish the training we received at MSU – he with Corliss Arnold and me with Ethel Armeling. We are delighted to be able to help future Spartans become great music educators.”

As the scholarship recipients and the beneficiaries of the future gift embark on their musical journeys, they will carry with them not just financial support but the spirit of two individuals who dedicated their lives to the transformative power of music. Nancy Lange has ensured that the passion for music she shared with Steve will be shared with an ever-increasing list of organists and singers who will find and spread that same joy.