Southern Nebraska Register
St. James Parish in Cortland held a celebration Sept. 29 to honor Jim Fuhrman, longtime organist.
For more than 50 years, Fuhrman has been the organist for nearly every liturgy in the parish. In celebration of his dedication, many former choir members and others joined him in the choir.
It was September of 1972 when Jim Fuhrman, at 11 years old, first provided accompaniment for the parish singing at the early Mass. He recalled his feet could barely reach the pedals.
Fuhrman majored in music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, playing the trumpet, but he said his heart was with the piano and organ.
New church hymnal books were dedicated to Fuhrman in recognition of his many years of service. A cake reception was held in the parish hall following the liturgy.
St. James Parish serves more than 150 families mid-way between Lincoln and Beatrice on Highway 77 in Gage County. The first Mass in the area was celebrated in 1882, and the first church was erected in 1884. Previously a mission church served by priests from Beatrice, Crete, Lincoln and Wilber, St. James was made an independent parish in 1947. The current church building was dedicated in 2001.
