John J. Binsfeld III

One of the premier organists of his generation, John J. Binsfeld III died peacefully in his home in Ocean City, New Jersey on Wednesday, September 23, 2020. The cause of death was complications from leukemia which he had valiantly battled for many years.

John grew up in Pottstown. As a boy, he attended Sunday school and church services at Trinity Reformed UCC Church in Pottstown.

As a young teenager, he chose to live with the late Dr. and Mrs. John B. Frantz. Dr. Frantz was then the pastor of Trinity Church. John’s prodigious talent at the keyboard became clear as a young child, repeating tunes on a piano then modifying the tunes as he preferred. Encouraged by the Frantz family, he began studying piano and organ with Lotta Young and Barbara Hartenbauer. In 1961, while still a student at Pottstown High School, he became Minister of Music at Trinity Church. He won a full scholarship at age 17 to study organ at the Curtis Institute of Music.

In 1964, he was selected as Organist and Choirmaster at historic Old Christ Church, in Philadelphia, where he remained until his retirement in 2009. He was also a staff recitalist on the largest pipe organ in the world at the then JohnWanamaker store in Center City. In his retirement John resided in Ocean City, NJ

John is survived by members of the Frantz family and his many friends.

A “live streamed” funeral service from Christ Church Philadelphia will be held on Saturday, October 3, at 11am. It will be available virtually at the website: christchurchphila.org/live. This service will be archived and available. Following the service, his ashes will be placed in the garden adjacent to the church.