Morse has become more than just a fan

Over the last 11 years, Dorothy Morse of West Branch, Mich., has become like family to former Gaither singer Guy Penrod and his family. A faithful Gaither fan, she has attended every Gaither concert in Michigan in the last 10 years and regularly travels to the Gaither Praise Gathering, held each year in Indianapolis, and Family Fest, held annually in Gatlinburg, Tenn.

Yet Penrod's wife, Angie, still was a little surprised to see Morse on the front row last week in Rector to be a part of Penrod's first solo concert since leaving the Gaithers early this year.

"When Angie came out and saw me, she said, 'Oh my goodness. You've come all the way from Michigan!'"

Many of the Penrod children made a point to seek out the kind lady they now call "Miss Dorothy."

"I first met Guy and Angie when my husband and I went to Gatlinburg in 1998," Morse said. "I loved Guy's singing, but there was something special about Guy and Angie's relationship and their beautiful children."

Morse was able to visit with the Penrod clan at each event, and a special relationship with her quickly developed. "I had my photo taken with the last five Penrod babies," Morse said, beaming.

When the Penrod's third son, Joseph, was four, he walked up to Morse while she was talking with Angie and her parents and gave her a mint.

"I decided to take that mint home and put it in a scrapbook. The next time I saw Joey, he said, 'You're the lady I gave the mint to.' I was amazed that, with the thousands of people they encounter each year, he remembered giving that mint to me."

When Morse went on an Alaskan cruise with the Gaithers in 2006, she took a photo of her scrapbook and showed Joey she still had that mint.

"The Penrods are warm Christian godly people," Morse said. "You can tell by the way they act. There's love in that bunch!"

When Morse once missed a concert after having back surgery, a friend told the Penrods why she was absent and Angie made a phone call to check on her.

"When I picked up the phone and it was Angie, I about had a heart attack," Morse laughed. "Then Guy got on the phone and talked to my daughter, Robin, for about 15 minutes."

Morse says God was taking care of her last week, enabling her to get a special surprise.

"When Angie saw me in Rector, she told Grayson and Zach (two Penrod sons) to 'Take Miss Dorothy one of your dad's new CDs and have him sign it.' I got the very first CD sold, and if I hadn't arrived early, that wouldn't have happened."

Morse has been to at least 50 to 60 live Gaither concerts and has all 133 DVD's released by the Gaithers, including the two newest ones coming out, which she pre-ordered.

"I have a database where I number each DVD and list the name of each song and who sings it. Then I am able to cross reference them."

She subscribes to "Homecoming," a Gaither magazine, and follows the Gaither Music Group on its website.

"My husband and I were going to go on that Alaskan cruise for our 50th wedding anniversary," Morse said. "But he died of cancer a few months before the trip. I decided to go on the cruise anyway. I wore his ring, took along his picture -- and he had a wonderful time!"

Morse says you "just can't go wrong with Gaither music."

"It's good stuff," she exclaims. "Of course it won't be as good without Guy there, but it's good."

Morse said she is impressed that Penrod incorporates his family into everything. "You can just see the love in his face and a smile in his eyes. I am deeply honored to have the first CD. The whole thing was God's blessing."

Morse will fly to Branson, Mo., at the end of this month for Penrod's solo debut there -- and to see the whole family again.

She raved about her visit to Rector and how much she enjoyed the concert, which also featured Dailey & Vincent and The Isaacs.

"Your town and your people were so wonderful," Morse said. "You can really tell a small town kindness. It was absolutely wonderful."