Resident Spotlight
Living WEL
Marshall
Wesley Enhanced Living at Stapeley
In 2009, Marshall welcomed the opportunity to put his green thumbs back to work tilling soil in preparation for the planting of a vegetable garden on the grounds of his retirement community (Wesley Enhanced Living at Stapeley). Almost five years later, you can still find Marshall in the garden mapping out which vegetables will be planted where. Fortunately, he has the assistance of fellow resident gardeners Bill and Karl, as well as both adults and children from Germantown Friends.
All are looking forward to another bountiful harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, kale and Swiss chard thanks to Stapeley’s resident agriculturists and their ‘Friends.’
Jerry
Wesley Enhanced Living Upper Moreland
Jerry is a present-day renaissance man. He has acquired profound knowledge and proficiency in many fields. Jerry has created amazing, one-of-a-kind replicas of famous sculptures such as the Eiffel Tower and the original Ferris Wheel. After doing extensive research on the origin, materials and measurements of the original sculptures, Jerry sought out the right materials and did the numerous, complex mathematical equations to create replicas that would make the original designers and builders proud.
Jerry’s greatest tools are his head, his hands and his heart. He uses his head to conceptualize and learn, his hands to create, and his heart to lovingly make true works of art that he, his wife, his daughter and many friends can all enjoy.
Estelle
Wesley Enhanced Living at Stapeley
Estelle is someone who enjoys trying anything – at least once! She lives well by exercising her mind and body. She walks, gardens, bakes and loves to go on day-long shopping excursions. She also enjoys playing scrabble, knitting, singing in the choir and connecting with friends and family in-person and online.
One of Estelle’s greatest passions is woodworking! She made not one, but two sets of kitchen cabinets along with the book case in her apartment. Estelle keeps herself young by seeking out engaging new experiences and is always encouraging fellow residents to join her.
Priscilla
Wesley Enhanced Living Doylestown
Priscilla has embraced the motto “never stop moving” and has made it a part of her day-to-day life. She has developed an exercise and nutrition routine, with help from the fitness and dietary teams at Wesley Enhanced Living Doylestown, which has helped her to lose weight, feel good and remain physically active. Priscilla finds her exercises enjoyable thereby easy for her to maintain. A sensible diet, focused on portion control and healthy food choices, has also greatly contributed to her overall WEL-being. Priscilla says, “You can always find some kind of exercise to do, even while sitting down.”
Chet
Wesley Enhanced Living Doylestown
Chet is a very familiar face at the fitness center at Wesley Enhanced Living Doylestown. He can be found there each morning faithfully doing his daily workout. He understands the importance of regular physical activity in enhancing his health and helping to maintain his independence and therefore has made it a priority in his life.
Chet recommends a well-rounded exercise program that incorporates the four main categories of exercise – endurance & cardio, strength, balance and flexibility. Regarding his diverse exercise routine, Chet says, “You are never too old to try anything.”
Larry
Wesley Enhanced Living Pennypack Park
Larry is one of those people who is always on the move at his Wesley Enhanced Living Pennypack Park community. He is a strong believer and advocate for physical and nutritional fitness. He is a proud pescatarian – a fish eating vegetarian.
While he can often be seen on his bike riding the trails of his community’s adjoining park, he is also an avid skier and scuba diver. Larry feels strongly that his diet and active lifestyle are vital to his good health.
Jeannette & Ornay
Wesley Enhanced Living Upper Moreland
Jeannette & Ornay are one of those couples everyone admires! They are happy, healthy and happenin’! It’s rare to find them in their apartment at Wesley Enhanced Living Upper Moreland. They are too busy walking, doing yoga, playing shuffle board or folk dancing. Ornay also enjoys on-site table tennis and off-site bowling with his friends at the community, while Jeannette lovingly knits and crochets lap robes for hospice patients and hats for abused children. Both Ornay & Jeannette exclaim, “We can’t just sit and do nothing!” and their advice is simple, “Don’t wait too long to move into a retirement community.”
Elaine
Wesley Enhanced Living Burholme
Elaine, someone whose picture should accompany the definition of a ‘people person,’ resides at Wesley Enhanced Living Burholme. An avid reader and history buff, Elaine enjoys watching and reading autobiographies about historical figures and events.
Elaine loves putting on her walking shoes and catching the train to the city for a little arts and culture. She looks for every opportunity to visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art and is thrilled that she now has the Barnes Foundation to explore as well. Elaine truly enjoys her life and “does everything she can with what she has!”
WEL Written
Maurice “Frank” Mercure
Wesley Enhanced Living Pennypack
Frank is the first-time author of “The Life and Times of a Cold War Serviceman: August 1928 to November 30, 1969.” With over 23 years of service to his country, Frank, a Bronze Star recipient, details the highs and lows of a serviceman’s life, including his dangerous experiences in Saigon, his role as a security officer for General Abrams, and the day he met his wife of over 60 years in England. The chronological history of his life helps civilians better understand how their life contrasts to that of a serviceman. Digital and paperback copies of Frank’s book can be found at a variety of on-line and brick-and-mortar bookstores, including www.Amazon.com.
John M. Donohue
Wesley Enhanced Living Doylestown
John is the author of From Germany To Love, a story that explores the triumphs and challenges of growing up during the Great Depression, the life of a serviceman, and a World War II romance that lasted over 60 years. Donohue takes the reader on a journey through his life while also chronicling his wife’s life during the same period of time. This book, along with the author’s first autobiography, An American Family, can be purchased at The Doylestown Bookshop in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
Anita Gertrude Roesch-Plutte
Wesley Enhanced Living Upper Moreland
Anita is the author of The Woman With The German Accent. Anita grew up in Germany during WWII and escaped from East Germany as a young adult searching for peace and happiness. She recounts her many experiences in her book which can be found at bookstores, as well as online at xulonpress.com.
Lynne Shivers
Wesley Enhanced Living at Stapeley
Lynne co-wrote two books and currently has two other books underway. Her diverse interests are evident in her writings. Jottings in the Woods – Walt Whitman’s Nature Prose and a Study of Old Pine Farm uniquely combines Whitman’s stunning nature descriptions with a discourse on contemporary efforts to protect land in South Jersey. Lynn has also written More than the Troubles – A Common Sense View of the Northern Ireland Conflict. Both books can be purchased on a variety of online sites including amazon.com.
Anita Cornwell
Wesley Enhanced Living at Stapeley
Anita wrote the first collection of essays by an African American lesbian entitled Black Lesbian in White America. She has also had work published in Feminist Review, Labrynth, National Leader, Los Angeles Free Press and The Negro Digest. Her book can be found at bookstores, as well as online at amazon.com.
Gordon Eaton, PhD
Wesley Enhanced Living Upper Moreland
Gordon is the author of a series of children’s books entitled Piebald & Alpha Visit the Emerald Isle, Piebald & the Parade of Small Animals, and The Life and Times of Piebald the Mouse. The stories center around a laboratory mouse named Piebald who escapes his confines and explores the outside world. He soon learns that it was the Creator who made it possible for him to survive the many dangers he encountered on his journey. Gordon’s books can be purchased at a variety of Christian bookstores, as well as online at amazon.com.
Edna Massimilla
Wesley Enhanced Living Upper Moreland
Edna writes poetry, song lyrics and stories. She is the author of Heaven’s Very Special Child & the Family, a book that draws on her personal experience raising a child with Down Syndrome. In the book, Edna recounts both the trying times and blessings, and shares original poems and songs that offer empathy and inspiration to parents and caregivers of physically or mentally challenged children. Edna’s book and poems can be purchased at a variety of bookstores, as well as online at amazon.com.
WEL Done
Jeannette
Wesley Enhanced Living Upper Moreland
Jeannette is someone who deserves her very own custom title of “Yarnsmith.” As a child, Jeannette’s dad taught her to knit, crochet and sew. As an adult, she has become a true master! Jeannette puts her needle crafting talent to very good use – she crochets lap robes for hospice patients and hats for needy children in the surrounding community. She also makes a wide variety of gifts – including candy, flowers, cookies and potted plants – all out of yarn! Jeannette feels that crocheting is both therapeutic and personally rewarding. Each day, Jeannette prints out a pattern or two from the Internet, picks up her yarn and hooks, and gets to work crocheting masterpieces. When asked by a reporter with the Intelligencer what motivates her to make so many beautifully hand-crafted lap robes, hats and gifts, Jeannette exclaimed, “I just like helping people.”
Rosemary
Wesley Enhanced Living Burholme
Rosemary is proud to carry on her mother’s legacy of caring for those in need. As a child, Rosemary and her three siblings joined their mother on her mission to pitch in and help out whenever and wherever needed. Today, Rosemary carries on the family tradition by visiting with the sick and praying with them; helping at her church on Friday night’s with their children’s program; and volunteering at a day care center in Philly on Tuesday afternoons. Rosemary does so much more, including helping in the kitchen during her church’s program for seniors, as well as answering calls for Alpha Pregnancy’s helpline. In this role, she connect pregnant teens and women with nurses, social workers and any other needed services. She also helps organize baby showers! Rosemary’s generosity doesn’t stop there. She also sits on the board of the Community Care Center of the Northeast (CCNE), an organization that provides quality health-related and companion services to the home bound, chronically ill, physically and/or intellectually disabled, and elderly residents in Northeast Philadelphia and northeastern Montgomery and Lower Bucks counties. Rosemary’s face lights up when she talks about her interactions with both children and seniors. Her mother would be so proud!
Barbara
Wesley Enhanced Living Doylestown
Barbara recently returned from a five week project in Costa Rica where she and her team of volunteers built a community service building and distributed food to the needy in partnership with the Rice and Beans Ministries. This type of project is not unique to Barbara. She has managed and participated in many similar charitable endeavors since forming the Discovery Service Projects (DSP) with her late husband. DSP is an inter-faith charitable organization that is dedicated to improving the health, education, safety, and spiritual welfare of people in the U.S. and developing countries of Latin America. The organization was developed from the vision of the Late Rev. Rowland Carlson and Barbara to follow God’s leadership. Discovery Service Projects’ volunteers, representing many faiths, all work alongside citizens in developing countries and the US. To date, Barbara and her volunteers have built or re-built churches, clinics, community centers, schools, and private homes devastated by natural disasters. As Barbara says, “We cannot sit back and do nothing. If everyone did a little, at least those in need would know we care.”
Betty
Wesley Enhanced Living at Stapeley
You might think after a rewarding career as a teacher at Germantown Friends School which spanned more than 60 years, that Betty might not want to return to a classroom again. You would be wrong! Betty returned as a volunteer in charge of special programs. Some of her responsibilities include organizing special events such as the annual Christmas tea and end-of-year picnic. In addition, she is enjoying the task of charting all of the trees on the property. Betty also spends her time knitting lap robes for the healthcare residents at her community and scarves for seafarers who come into Philadelphia’s ports in the winter months wearing old t-shirts and jeans. She also makes time for one of her favorite hobbies – gardening. She can often be seen tending to her many indoor gardens or planting bulbs on the grounds of her community. Betty is a humble person who doesn’t feel like she should be profiled on this page, but we know better!
