Remembering loved ones with a rose

By Mary-Justine Lanyon
Editor

 

They were nurses. They were volunteers. They were loving, caring individuals.

They were the 17 people remembered and celebrated at this year’s Rose Memorial ceremony at Mountains Community Hospital.

While the ceremony is usually held out in the rose garden, the thunderstorms on Saturday, Aug. 23 forced it to be held indoors in the hospital’s solarium.

As Kim McGuire, the Mountains Community Hospital Foundation’s director, welcomed everyone, she thanked them for “being here to share in this time of remembrance and love.”

Following an invocation by Miles Ornelas, the assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel, nurse Anneka Fischle gave the history of the rose garden.

Christi Schneider, the ceremony’s chair, announced that this year’s rose is the “Julia Child” – a yellow rose “whose bright color conveys positive energy and optimism for the future. It symbolizes true friendship, warmth and affection, gratitude, adoration and new beginnings.”

“I hope this ceremony will be a bright spot in your remembrance,” she said.

Schneider read the remembrances of several of those being celebrated.

• Karla Bevard was a resident of the Skilled Nursing Facility for 12 years. Her husband of 46 years, Dick, visited her nearly every day. She was a nurse and a medical assistant.
• Mar-Mary Knox was a member of the hospital auxiliary and loved meeting friends in the gift shop. She was 100 but looked 70. She was always up for a party or a bridge game.
• Armena Reese was also an auxiliary member. She was named Volunteer of the Year in 2015-2016. She loved to bake for the auxiliary bake sales.
• Mark Kinderman played the viola. He was proud of his work with special education students and was an excellent cook. He was a SNF resident.
• Marilou Sherwood had sung in her brother’s band. The 90-year-old had been a nurse.
• Air Force veteran Harry Lund founded the Winter Senior Games in Running Springs. He had served on the MCH board of directors.

Cheri Altmeyer, the SNF activities director, celebrated two of her residents.

• Dee Dee Walters was a fabulous SNF volunteer, volunteering nearly every day. “We became her second family,” Altmeyer said. She played games with everyone and made Boo Bears, which are given to children in the ER.
• Zee Salva could tell you about any plant. She also made Boo Bears and cared about all the other residents. She sang soprano on music days, hitting the high notes no one else could reach. She was most proud of having started the breast cancer awareness walk at the hospital. “She had a big heart,” Altmeyer said.

Remembering her mother-in-law Rosemarie Black, Shelly Black said that “her family was her greatest pride and joy.” She was known for expressing her opinion and was an avid writer of letters to the editor.

When Carmen and Bill Alan Garton Sr. got married, she wanted to come up to Lake Arrowhead for their honeymoon. Much to her surprise, they went to Lake Tahoe. Eventually they did move to Lake Arrowhead – 40 years later. Unfortunately, Bill passed away not long after the move.

A friend and neighbor remembered Marko Perko II, saying that “his heart belonged to his family. He never shied away from a strong opinion and he always challenged ideas.”

Finlay Mackay III was celebrated by his sister, Heather. He was born in Scotland and was a gentle man.

Cheryl Robinson paid tribute to Elizabeth Mackay, Finley and Heather’s mother. Also born in Scotland, she loved performing in school plays. A nurse, she was known as Betty. The soldiers she cared for during the war called her Bubbles. She loved politics.

Larrien Muscorella and her late husband, Paul, were married just shy of 60 years. He always had an open, friendly house and was always there for anyone who needed anything. “He spoiled his daughters, not with things but with time and love – and he did the same for me. He treated me like his princess,” Larrien said. “There was always laughter in our house.” While he was hospitalized at MCH, they had a date night.

Anneka Fischle read a poem that was found taped on the last page of James Martire’s phone book, “We Remember Them” by Sylvan Kamens and Rabbi Jack Riemer. It lists all the times we remember those we have loved at lost: At the rising sun, at the opening of the buds, at the beginning of the year and when it ends, when we are weary and in need of strength, when we are lost and sick at heart, when we have decisions that are difficult to make.

With the rain having stopped, everyone went out to the rose garden where they made a circle and recited the 23^rd Psalm. Afterwards they enjoyed some refreshments provided by the hospital auxiliary.

The poem found in James Martire’s book ends with words appropriate for all those who were celebrated this year:

When we have joy we crave to share, we remember them.

When we have achievements that are based on theirs, we remember them.

For as long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us as, we remember them.