Elizabeth Plowman

Elizabeth Plowman passed from this life on December 13, 2017, surrounded by her loving family and a multitude of friends. She was born on September 3, 1937, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Charles Spencer Plowman Sr. and Marguerite Brannen Plowman. Her education began at Forest Park Elementary School and continued through graduation from Little Rock Central High School.



Elizabeth demonstrated a talent and love of music that was evident from an early age. Upon graduation from high school, she attended Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Music Major in organ. She went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in organ from Union Theological Seminary in New York.



Following her love of adventure, she was employed as an organist for several churches around the country, and also spent a time teaching music at the American Community School and the American University of Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon.



While being an organist in Palo Alto, Elizabeth changed her professional focus and joined Xerox Corporation as department secretary to a team of physicists. Later she joined Stanford University as secretary to the head of the mathematics department. Her interest in the organ continued throughout this period and she was a substitute organist at churches in the area.



After retiring from Xerox and Stanford, she returned to Little Rock where she was a substitute church organist. During this time, a permanent position of organist and choir director became available at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. She applied for the position, was accepted, and served in that capacity for 14 years.



Elizabeth was very supportive of local music and art activities. For many years, she was a volunteer in the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Guild where she served as chair of the young artist competition, a concerto competition for young people up to college age, and as program chair. In addition, Elizabeth served as board president and board member of the Little Rock Wind Symphony, a professional ensemble that carries on the tradition of the concert band. She was an avid knitter and her brightly colored creations were prized gifts. She was also a past Board member of Arkansas Women’s Action for New Directions, a peace advocacy organization.



Elizabeth is survived by her brother Charles S. Plowman Jr. of La Canada, California; her nephews John Tarbell and Charley Tarbell of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Charles Plowman III of La Canada, California; and by her niece Sherry Plowman of Bayfield, Colorado. Elizabeth was preceded in death by her sister, Evelyn P. Tarbell of Little Rock, Arkansas.



A music-filled memorial service will be held Saturday, January 20, at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church (12415 Cantrell Road, Little Rock) beginning with a 30-minute Hymn Sing at 1 pm. Many of Elizabeth’s friends from the Arkansas Symphony, Little Rock Wind Symphony, as well as the church choir she directed will perform at both the Hymn Sing and during the liturgical portions of the service. Burial will be in the family plot at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Cemetery in Cabot at a later date. In lieu of flowers, remembrances would be welcome for the Elizabeth Plowman Youth Orchestra Scholarship Fund, c/o Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Society, Inc., 2417 Tyler, Little Rock, AR 72207.

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