Photo By Gino Mattorano | Dorothy “Dottie” Spann plays the piano during a special prayer luncheon in honor...... read more read more
When Dorothy “Dottie” Spann first started playing the piano and organ for the Evans Army Community Hospital, Dwight D. Eisenhower was president and the current hospital building hadn’t been built yet.
Ms. Dottie, as she likes to be called, is retiring this month from her duties as Healer Chapel pianist, where she has served her God and the hospital for 70 years – longer than most of its employees have been alive.
Spann was a student at Colorado College in 1956 studying the pipe organ, when her professor received a call from a Fort Carson chaplain asking if he had someone who could handle the service at the hospital’s original chapel.
“The professor gave me the honor of recommending me,” said Spann. “And I’ve been playing here ever since!”
Spann said when she started playing at Fort Carson all those years ago, she never dreamed she’d still be playing 70 years later.
“It's amazing to me because I never kept track!” Spann said. “It was just something I had to always do, so when it was time to go play, it was time to go play!”
Spann says she can’t take the credit for serving the Fort Carson community for so long.
“When I start playing, I always pray, ‘Lord, get me out of the way and help my mind and my fingers to give people what you want them to understand that will bring them closer to you’” she said. “That's my prayer.”
In addition to playing at Healer Chapel, Spann said she also had the privilege of playing the organ at Soldiers Memorial Chapel for memorial services and other special events.
The chapel recognized Spann during a prayer luncheon on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at Healer Chapel. Maj. Andy Vaughn, the EACH chaplain, said that by his calculations, Ms. Dottie has played at more than 1,400 services over the years, but acknowledged it was probably a conservative estimate.
“Whether it was at a chapel service, a special event or a memorial service, Ms. Dottie’s skill on the piano touched the lives of others,” Vaughn said. “Thank you, Ms. Dottie, for accepting the call. For 70 years you have been a vital partner in the ministry of Healer Chapel and touched the lives of countless others. We are going to miss you.”
| Date Taken: | 12.23.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.23.2025 16:24 |
| Story ID: | 555256 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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