From the Summer Olympic Games to Election Day, 2024 has been a historic year that also saw the loss of many local legends who made history in their own lanes. These 15 individuals — ranging from war veterans and philanthropists to musicians and mental health advocates — had a profound impact on Forsyth County and all those they touched. Some sought to connect to the community through art and music, while others made a name helping thousands of local youths chart a brighter path.
Whether teenagers or centenarians at the time of their deaths, each of these individuals had a meaningful impact on the world around them, and their legacies will continue to inspire. Margaret Mueller Internationally acclaimed organist Margaret Mueller made her imprint on the music scene, dedicating nearly half of her life to Salem College's Community Music School and reinvigorating organ music in the U.S.
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Mueller — who died in April, a few months shy of her 100th birthday — spent 48 years teaching at the college's Community Music School. A longtime faculty member at Salem College, Mueller was also an organist at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem for 38 years, and enjoyed sharing her contagious enthusiasm for music with others.
Mueller and her husband of 60 years, John, were instrumental in reviving interest in the mechanical-action organ in the U.S. by establishing the Summer Organ Academy at Salem College.
Throughout the program's 21year tenure, world-fa.
