More About Our Staff

Wayne was born May 3, 1953 in E. St. Louis, IL, and raised in Granite City Il.  He earned a BM degree (major in Piano/Organ) from Southern Illinois University/Edwardsville, in 1975, and a MA degree from Ball State University in IN in 1981 and many hours of post graduate work at the University of Akron.  I have two sons, Todd-40 and Greg-43 and their families, including 5 grandchildren

I was a public school music teacher for 38 years in Richmond, IN and Alliance, OH, retiring in 2013.  I have been involved in church music from age 10 on including playing for almost every denomination and currently serve as organist/pianist here at Pineshores in Sarasota.

Besides church music, I am an active performer, playing and recording for many soloists and groups and currently play 4 times weekly at the Crab and Finn Restaurant on St. Armands Key.  My playing interests have included Theatre, The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, Electronic Music and have published over 200 pieces which are available on JWPepper.com. under my name.

My hobbies include model trains, being an avid baseball fan, including going to concerts, collecting St. Louis Cardinals baseballs, jigsaw puzzles, baking, shooting fireworks shows, playing backgammon and writing music.

I was a choir Director in public schools in Indiana and Ohio for 38 years, have been the director and asst. director for church choirs for many denominations. Effective June 3, I will become the interim choir director at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church along with accompanying,  and look forward to continuing the long and rich music program here.

Debby Wendell is the Joy Company and  Adventure Camp Coordinator at Pine Shores. She grew up as the daughter of a military/pastor.  She attended college in Canada and finished her graduate work at Columbia and Princeton.  She has a true passion for children and demonstrates that through teaching, coordinating camps, and representing them in court as a Guardian Ad Litem.  She is thankful for the time and space that Pine Shores allows for the children to have a safe, fun, enriching place to be when school is not in session.