Our musicians

Leigh Anne Fake has been ringing handbells in church since 1999. She was born, raised and continues to live in Seaford. Leigh Anne is a high school counselor. She earned a BS degree from Salisbury University and a Masters in Education from Wilmington University.

Marianne Fike is a second-year ringer with St. Ann’s Bell Choir in Bethany Beach.  She also sings and plays piano with the Contemporary Music Ensemble at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Frankford.  She has a Masters in Acupuncture from Maryland University of Integrative Health and works as an acupuncturist in Ocean View, Delaware.  She enjoys the beauty of nature, animals, music, and eating good food.

Christine Fox-Roberts has been ringing handbells for over 40 years, and enjoys performing with advanced ensembles including Virtuoso, Distinctly Bronze East and The Ringing Nativity. She has also participated in The Great Christmas Ring at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. She graduated with a DMD degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ, and practices as a general dentist in Bethany Beach. She and her husband enjoy traveling and spending time with their dogs Bell and Copper.

Steve Hallsted played handbells with Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wilmington for 19 years where he was also a choir member and featured baritone soloist. He is a currently a choir member with Community Lutheran Church. Steve is a University of Delaware graduate and retired insurance agency owner. He serves as Music and Events Support Team Leader for the Capital Ringers.

Susan Leathery began her musical life playing both trumpet and flute in her school bands. She began ringing handbells as a teenager in the early 1980s at Millian Memorial UMC in Rockville, Maryland, and has rung on and off with various church hand bell groups throughout Montgomery and Frederick counties in Maryland. She currently works remotely for a Maryland CPA firm.  Susan and her wife Tina moved to Rehoboth Beach in 2022, where they live with their menagerie of pets as they look forward to retiring in the near future.

David Mangler began reading music and playing musical instruments at the age of 5. He has played a variety of brass and woodwinds throughout elementary and high school years and was a church organist during high school. He is a retired Navy Nurse Corps Officer. He first rang with the handbell choir of the Metropolitan Community Church while stationed in Washington, DC.

Harriet Marisa attended a Capital Ringers Orientation in January 2020 and decided to try ringing for the first time. She joined the Bay2 Bay group for beginning to intermediate ringers, and joined Capital Ringers in January 2021. She took nine years of piano lessons. She is the organization’s Administrative Support Team Leader.

Clay Monroe is a graduate of Towson University, Towson, Md. He has been an insurance broker for 47 years, specializing in senior health Medicare products. He lives in Lewes. Clay played several low brass instruments in high school and college years, and has played handbells since 1992 with “First Towne Ringers” of Bethel United Methodist Church in Lewes.

Niki Runge received a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a music minor from Rutgers University in NJ and a Master’s Degree in Music Therapy from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, and has been a board certified music therapist for over 25 years. She is the owner of Chesapeake Music Therapy in Salisbury, MD and also is a per diem music therapist with Coastal Hospice.  Niki plays piano, guitar and flute, and is currently a member of the Salisbury Community Band, and a worship team member at Salisbury Bible Fellowship in Salisbury, MD.

Born and raised in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, Leslie Smoyer graduated from Kutztown University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education/Elementary Education.  Later she received a Master’s Degree in Education from Cabrini College. Leslie began playing bells in 1993 with her church bell choir and joined Capital Ringers in the fall of 2018.  She lives in Greenwood, Delaware, with her husband, Bill and three dogs; Cooper, Molly and Rudy.

Nancy Yost is from Houston, Delaware, and is a retired teacher from the Milford school district.  She has played the organ since the age of 5 and has played special music in many churches and weddings.  She started ringing bells in 2006 and joined Capital Ringers in 2012.  She plays in the bell choir at Avenue Methodist Church in Milford.  She earned an associates degree in Behavioral Science and a BA in Elementary Education.