From fiddle to flute, a long legacy of service.

CPSTL co-founder, Artistic Director and flutist Jennifer Gartley hails from a family with a long and deep history of military service. How she ended up as a musician and not a Four-star General was always a bit of a mystery to us, but then she revealed the truth. One of her grandfathers was a fiddler, and she has the photographic evidence. Gerald also served in a tank unit in WW2.

looks like a good time! Gerald Gartley, 1946, playing the fiddle in northern Maine (paternal grandfather) 

 Minnie Lee and Gerald Gartley, honeymoon (paternal grandparents) 

On the other side of the family, was the grandfather in the rather iconic photo below. Growing up with a grandfather who was a fighter pilot in WW2 didn’t phase Jen much, until she interviewed him for a school project.

“Mostly he was grandaddy to me, but I think I mostly influenced by his incredible work ethic, ability to put things in perspective, and being the leader of our family. I remember interviewing him at one point for a school project, and he told me all of his roommates (also fighter pilots) on his carrier were killed and that he lived through being shot down three times, and it hit me how miraculous it was that he survived and I even existed.”

John D. Wilcox (maternal grandfather) WWII fighter pilot 

Genevee and John D Wilcox, wedding photo.