United Presbyterian Home news

Marvin and Phyllis Crile celebrated 66 years of marriage last week. It has been a tradition for them to go out for ice cream on their special day so this year soft serve ice cream was delivered to them. It is wonderful to keep some traditions alive.

Kerr Hall residents have a display of wedding photos on shelves outside their doors to recognize the June wedding season. Julia Gamon and Ella May Ruppert have their own wedding pictures displayed while other residents have pictures of family weddings.

Herb Yoder celebrated his 91st birthday on Monday when he left donuts at the doors of his neighbors on third floor Kerr Hall. His neighbors were delighted to share in his birthday celebration with the sweet treats.

Dietary Staff have been busy baking and delivering cookies to city hall police station, Court House, school administration. This is just a small form of thanks for the community service they provide for all of us.

Jim Wilson and Bob Crane participated in the Ridiculous Day Ag Parade on Saturday. Jim drove his 460 International tractor and Bob drove a friend's Oliver tractor. 128 tractors drove past each of the retirement facilities in Washington and around town before returning to their starting location at the Washington County Fairgrounds. It was a well-attended activity by both participants and spectators eager to join in a community sponsored event and still keep a social distance.

Jim and Gerry Schmidt celebrated 72 years of marriage on June 11, 2020. Their son Kirk had place mats made for the occasion depicting wedding photos of the couple in their 1948 wedding attire and a 1940 Ford Coupe car which friends decorated for the occasion. Kirk Schmidt tells us that Jim and Gerry lived in central Nebraska and honeymooned in northern Nebraska. While on their honeymoon Gerry found a little drop-leaf table and four chairs. They were limited on funds so they decided to cut their honeymoon short and buy the table and chairs. That same table and chairs served as their kitchen table for 70 years. Now their great granddaughter Mackenzie is using the same table and chairs as she starts out her life in her first apartment. The tables and chairs have been refinished a few times and the chairs recovered several times, but they are still going strong!

One of the joys of retirement is having more time for gardening. UP Home gardeners have worked hard again this year and walking the campus is such a pleasure. A number of volunteers have also worked on the communal areas. Jana Nieman and Larry Bartlett have volunteered to restore the Memory Garden behind Brownlee. Dorothy White has again made sure that Kerr Hall has beautiful blooms on the east side and in the planters. Jim Bennett has once again added lovely planters on the patio at Kerr hall and new resident, Mary Sue Northup jumped right in to care for flower gardens near the garages. There are many others who simply take time to weed and care for small plots around campus. It is a labor of love. A walk around campus is sure to soothe one's spirits in these troubled times.

Mary Oviatt reports that as a child her mother would let her play in the rain once the lightening subsided. She was given the opportunity to play in the rain again this week and remember her childhood.