Bess Maxine (Best) Dreyer passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at

5:45 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, 2016, at The Retreat at The Stratford in Carmel. She was 92 years old. She was recovering nicely from a fall five weeks ago, but God must have been in need of a wonderful organist for His Heavenly Choir.

She was born June 19, 1924, at Indianapolis, to Charles and Mary Theresa Best and grew up on the southeast side of Indianapolis. She was a graduate of Arsenal Technical High School and attended Indiana University, where she studied music and the organ with Dr. Oswald Ragatz in the Jacobs School of Music. The organ remained a passion for her entire life, and she played as the church organist at the churches she and her family attended in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and finally in Crawfordsville, where she was the organist at First United Methodist Church for more than 47 years. If not through the church, many knew Maxine, as she was always available to play for and help people through special and sad times, playing for many, many weddings and funerals. She also taught piano and organ for many years.

She was married to her childhood sweetheart, Gerald Richard (Gerry/Jack) Dreyer in Indianapolis on July 19, 1947. They were married for nearly 64 years, until he passed in May 2011. She was a homemaker most of her life, but when her children were grown and gone, she worked for Wabash College as the secretary to the Physics and Chemistry departments in Goodrich Hall, the Dean's Office and the President's Office until she retired in 1998. She also enjoyed her membership in the Crawfordsville Kiwanis Club, where she was the secretary and resident piano player for many years. She continued to live in Crawfordsville until 2013, when she moved to Indianapolis.

She is survived by her five children, Jerry (Jolynn) of Crawfordsville, Tom (fiancé Sandy) and Dick (Francie) of Dillon, Colorado, Betsy (Dan) Brunette of Indianapolis and Carol Ann (Charlie) Bunnell of Clark Lake, Michigan; as well as eight grandchildren, Keely (Ed) Hitt of Tempe, Arizona, Emily (Chad) Mitchell of Orange Beach, Alabama, Patrick Brunette of Charlotte, North Carolina, Dana (Brad) Heaton of Indianapolis, Bobby Dreyer of Kremling, Colorado, Rick Dreyer of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Phil Bunnell of Dearborn Heights, Michigan and Karen Bunnell of Jackson, Michigan; and two great-grandchildren, Ashby Hitt of Tempe, Arizona and Attison Mitchell of Orange Beach, Alabama.

Visitation and a memorial service will be held Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, at First United Methodist Church, Crawfordsville, with visitation from 2-4 p.m., followed by the service with Pastor Gary Lewis presiding. After cremation, her remains will be interred with her late husband and parents in the family crypt at the Washington Park East Cemetery Mausoleum in Indianapolis.

Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to First United Methodist Church Music Department or Wabash College.