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Memories All Around

Anyone who works with seniors will tell you the one thing they all have in common: amazing memories.  One of the most incredible aspects of being surrounded by this wealth of information is hearing these stories on a regular basis.  Western Reserve Masonic Community is no exception.  On any given day, you might hear stories about childhood, military life, or travel.  Here are a few of our residents’ favorites. Susan Baker: “We first moved to the Pennsylvania hills outside Pittsburgh when I was 12, having just finished 6th grade.  Mom taught me to embroider sitting there in a new home on a summer afternoon.  That started my crafting career that continues to this day.” Barb Long: “In the summer while attending an American school in Santiago, Chile, a group of high school friends set out on an eight-hour trip across the Andes Mountains. We left early in the morning and had a nice sunshiny day. We reached the top of the mountain and saw the most beautiful view ever.  We were able to see the city of Santiago below and the ocean beyond it. I will never forget how beautiful it was and what a good time we all had.” Ed Ferguson: “I was drafted into the Army during WWII at the age of 18.  I served as a gunman in the 52nd Armored Infantry Battalion and received several distinguished awards during my service.  Among those awards are a Bronze Star for exemplary performance of duty in active ground combat and the Purple Heart and Battle of the Bulge Medals.  I traveled to France, Germany, and Austria, proudly serving our country.” Clarence Banks: “While in basic training in the south after being drafted at the age of 20, my mother called to say she was going to come visit me.  There was only train travel then and I was concerned that it was too crowded and told her not to come.  She was persistent and came anyway.  We went to a nightclub to dance.  We started to jitterbug to a big band on a crowded dance floor. We danced so well that eventually the crowd stopped to watch!  When the song was finished, the whole crowd began to applaud loudly just for us.  The applause was mostly for Mother.  She was a handsome woman who was very friendly and a beautiful dancer.  It was the last time that I saw her before I was shipped overseas to fight in WWII.” Carol Kachelein: “At the age of 47 I became a grandmother for the first time, but my newborn grandchild was born in Turkey.  My husband and I flew to Turkey, going through Rome where we stayed and visited for three days.  We stayed in Turkey for three weeks.  On our return to the U.S., we went through Switzerland and stayed for three days.  It was a memory of a lifetime!” Buddy Jenrette: “Last year, I went with my brother and two of his friends to Ft. Meyers, Florida. We stayed at the Reno Del Ray Motel. In the morning, we stopped at a Publix grocery store for donuts and coffee. Then we chartered a fishing boat and went fishing for red fish, catfish and sharks. I didn’t catch a shark, but I did catch two large red fish--21”, 5lb and 26”, 7lb!  We grilled the fish for a dinner complete with potatoes, salad, and Key Lime pie. We had so much fun that we are planning another trip this year.” We are very fortunate to have such a variety of interesting lives at WRMC—and even luckier that our residents are willing to share pieces of their history with us!  Perhaps the best part of all, however, is that our residents continue to make new memories every day!

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