If there is one universal language it is the sound of music?  And the Nottelmann Music Company enhanced the South County area with that language!  Started in 1953 when Bill Nottelmann single-handedly opened its doors at Lemay Ferry and Paule.  By 1954, Bill had branched out from giving private music lesson to selling instruments to local schools.  In 1982 a satellite store was opened just across the Meramec River in Arnold, Missouri.

Nottlemann Music currently employees fourteen full time employees, four of whom have been with Nottelmann Music over twenty-five years.  There are over twenty-five teachers making use of Nottelmann Music's facilities while teaching weekly private lessons to over five hundred students.  There are five sales representative who make weekly forays delivering new instruments and accessories, doing on-the-spot minor instrument repairs and bringing instruments needing major repairs back to Nottelmann Music where they will be repaired and returned to school. They call on most of the public and some private schools in both metro St. Louis and Jefferson County areas.

In the year 2003 Nottelmann Music will be celebrating its Fifty Year Anniversary,  If has become the music anchor for just about every family and school in the area.  Who is the man behind this success story?

Today, though dependent on a walker, after a fall last year, Bill Nottelmann is a spry, silver-haired, blue-eyed, sharp businessman.  Bill Nottelmann was born in St. Louis, the third child of William and Caroline Nottelmann.

Along with his love of music, community betterment has been his life.  Bill is president of the Mehlville Oakville Alumni Association founded in 1980.  This group fulfills principal's requests for assistance on different projects at the high school level.  They recently bought mats for the front entrance of Mehlville Senior High and when the second entrance for Mehlville Senior High is completed the alumni will fund the lighting and also purchase gym equipment. The alumni is also providing funding for a sound system for the Oakville Senior High.

Bill has been President of the Mehlville Oakville School Foundation from 1985 through 1995.  A six-member group that has been providing mini grants to teachers undertaking special projects for which funding through the schools is not available.

In 1993, Bill established two annual $ 300.00 music scholarships to be awarded to a graduating senior from Mehlville and Oakville Senior High Schools.

Bill often likes to reminisce about his days of walking to St. john's School when Lemay Ferry was just a dirt road.  Lest these days be forgotten.  Bill is chairing a group working on a history book called "Reflections: A History of the Mehlville School District and It's Communities."  This project was the catalyst for the newly formed South County Historical Society of which Bill is Charter and Board Member,

These endeavors would be grueling for a man half his age, but Bill seems to thrive on the non-stop activity.  He continues to make weekly stops at Nottelmann Music,  The ownership and day-to-day operations now belong to his daughter Jan and son-in-law Dennis.  With his mobility somewhat restricted, the telephone and email are enabling him to continue his hands-on direction of many endeavors.  Long Live the Music Man!

Anyone wishing to submit photos or story information for the book are asked to contact Mr. Nottelmann at 631-1486. The tentative date for publication of the book is Fall 2002.