Pecan Grove (www.pecan-grove.net) Pecan Grove and Senior Residence

June has been hot and wet, which is a potent combination. Our nature is still verdant and growing like crazy. Here are some more pictures of the wild life here.

June is another month that brings many birthdays. We had a special celebration for Joyce when she turned 82. A young man, Wyatt Vybiral, offered to come sing for the residents. He is very talented and sang hymns by request, everyone joined in. Here are some photos of the hymn sing, the cake, and the birthday afterward. Joyce said she was genuinely surprised at the turn out as she had expected to be celebrating her birthday alone where she stays in the Willis Nursing Home. We are happy she was so touched.

It just so happens that Gwen has a birthday the very next day after Joyce! She opted for a quieter more subtle affair. She shared some of her birthday cards from her friends in South Korea. Here she is at the table enjoying her cake with her birthday well wishers.

Clarence and Carl have been around recently. Marie and Clarence had some of their old friends from Louisiana come visit. Ulysses LaPrairie, who owns the Effie convention grounds, came for a visit with his family. His son, Paul, and daughter, Dana, and her husband, Charles Khan, were with him. Here they are in the entry way with Ronald and Melissa Bassett.

On that same day, by coincidence, Marie and Clarence were also visited by their niece, the Bassett family. Shay and Melissa with their daughter, Lacee, came to visit. Here they are in front of the piano.

Andrea Harris came with her friend Minerva Martinez. Andrea knows our residents well from being at Georgetown every year. She stayed to play some piano for us. Here they are with a few of the ladies in front of the fire place.

Robert Klingler and his son, Ben, came to visit Ronald. Here they are at the table.

Linda Opel visited with her cousin Judy Kevlen from Florida.

The kitchen staff had help today from 4 grandchildren. Here are Maven and Maren Furrow and Katelyn Kelleher helping Marian Opel, and Dylan Kelleher wearing his Irish shirt with a real Irish woman, Esther.

Resident Journals

Ronald Elliott

Ronald is struggling with his memory. We had the VA do a mental evaluation and the doctor said he has Alzheimer’s. He does well physically, aside from his incontinence. He still likes to walk down and feed the fish as often as he can. Now that it is getting quite hot he decides to sit in the shade instead. Here he is receiving a new wheelchair, reading the news paper, and speaking with our new neighbor Kent Opel. Kent and Linda now live about 7 miles from PG.

Esther Duncan

Esther continues to do well. She will be going to Happy this year and looks forward to many convention opportunities. She really loves to visit with Joyce and was so pleased to be able to celebrate her birthday with her. Here the two pals are together around the piano.

Doreen Beyer

Doreen is fitting in well here. She loves to help out in the kitchen and play the piano. She has taken an interest in Ronald and goes with him on nature walks. She spends most of the day in her room reading her bibles, both in French and English. She really knows her stuff! Here she is playing the piano.

Emma Perez

Emma is still our most visited resident. She has so many adoring friends who want to visit her often. She had an invitation to go down to the valley and visit friends and relatives. She is there now, spending 2 weeks. Here she is with Alice, leaving on her valley trip, and with some of her visitors Dora Tamez and Reina Zabala, and then Bruna Moreno and Clara Perez. Bruna was on her way back home to Monterey, so her daughter Clara brought her to be with Emma once more.

Marie Mounce

Marie had a lot of fun with her visitors and having Clarence around for a few days. She still likes to cook in the kitchen. She made some sweet and sour shrimp and two apple pies the other day. Here she is talking to Kathy and outside with our cat Minerva.

Gwen Farmer

Gwen does well. Her birthday brought her many well wishes from Korea which she was happy to share with us. Only she could read the cards though! Here she is at the puzzle with Elsie.

Ruth Henderson

Ruth does really well. She even surprised the physical therapist with how fast and forceful she could walk. Every morning she takes a long walk up to the gate. Here she is with Emma and Alice. She left today for Mountainair convention in New Mexico.

Elsie Schroeder

Elsie has received a brand new batch of puzzles recently. She completes them so fast that she was having to repeat them! Now she has plenty to choose from!

Joyce Naber

Joyce was thrilled to have her birthday with us, and the residents were just as thrilled she could be here. She was so thankful to everyone for attending, When she was returned to her nursing home they were having music therapy which she happily joined in. Here she is with her cake, with her party guests, and enjoying music therapy.

Alice Oetken, Gilbert Reese, Fern Duncan

All of our Park Manor residents are doing about the same. Gilbert can be found in his spot by the window in the dining room, usually being talked to by Alice. Alice enjoyed several visits from our residents here. Fern was out in the main living area in a rolling bed. Here they all are with their visitors. Lastly, a picture of Emma, Marie, Doreen and Ken with Gilbert.

We appreciate your continued care and thoughtfulness for the ones here.

Kenny and Ken

May is always a beautiful month, with a large change in appearance from April and March. Because of all the rain we have been getting, there are several new types of mushrooms and flowers that sprout up. Here are some of the more interesting examples.

As usual we had so many wonderful visitors this month, starting with Norman and Roland Leitheed who came to see Ruth. Here they are in the entry way.

Lynden and Nadine Laird came for another visit. They always take time to stop in and see Fern and the others. They were here for Kathy’s birthday and as always were very affable. Nadine had just had her 70th birthday so a piece of Kathy’s cake was given to her with a candle. Here they are at the table, again with Emma in the entry and with Joyce.

We always love having Don and Becky come visit, Elsie especially. We are going to be seeing them more often because they will be joining us once a month on Sunday for meeting. They brought our good friend Sylvia McPherson. Here they are around the puzzle, a favorite past time.

After union meeting on Sunday, Shawn and Anita invited several to come for lunch at the center. Here they are at the table. Kent and Linda Opel (on the left side) purchased a home 7 miles from Pecan Grove, and have been moving up here from Pearland all month. We’re glad to have them in our meetings and hope they visit PG frequently.

Ken’s sister, Ronda and her husband Mike, came for a few days with their cousin, Audrey Fuller. The whole family got together with them and they joined us for a celebration of the Furrow kids graduation. Here they are in the entry way with a few of the ladies, and again outside the cabin.

Gary and Wanda Saathoff came to visit everyone. They brought Wanda’s brother and his wife, Clint and Glenda Whitaker. Here they are with Elsie, Emma, Ruth and Ronald in front of the fire place.

William Sutton has known Ronald for many years so he came for lunch and a long visit. He also took a quick tour around the property. Here he is with Ronald in his room.

Ruth had our final visitors of the month. Her nephew, Owen Henderson and his wife Susan, came for the weekend. They took Ruth out for a visit to town and will be with us in union meeting tomorrow. Here they are with Ken and Kathy just before leaving for town.

We had several birthdays in May. Kathy turned 74 and looked cheery doing it. Here she is with her cake and balloon. Flowers all around!

Also, Dominique turned 68 this month. Here he is at the table trying extra hard to blow out his candles!

We have several new faces around here. David and Marion Opel have been learning the ropes and picking up more hours. The residents like to interact with the new recruits and direct as best they can. Here they are with their cousin, Abigail, in the kitchen.

Minerva is still our shining little mascot. She hangs around on the porch most of the day basking in the sunlight and waiting for attention. Here she is with Salena and looking radiant as usual.

Resident Journals

Esther Duncan

Esther does well as usual. She still keeps a healthy correspondence, especially since her birthday in March. She is in the Sunday morning meeting rotation, so she gets to enjoy eating out every once in a while. Here she is with Marie, both thrilled with a new Thai soup they had never tried. Marie wanted to make it so bad that its now on the menu! Their curry dish had cubes of a vegetable in it that Esther didn’t recognize, so she asked Ken to taste it. Imagine an Irish person who doesn’t recognize potato!

Marie Mounce

Marie had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Martinique this month. She went with Doreen who needed to pick up some of her belongings. They spent a week with some old friends who have the meeting in their home. They visited with everyone they could and had a memorable time. Unfortunately, on their return trip their last flight from Miami to Houston was delayed and eventually canceled. Eventually they made it home safe and were able to rest. Marie ended up with a slight cold but was fine otherwise. She has recovered well and is so happy to be home. Here she is happily tending her garden.

Ruth Henderson

Ruth fits in here great, she has a wonderful spirit. The staff and residents appreciate her calm and kind demeanor. She decided to invite all of the ladies to her room for tea one afternoon. She provided plates of snacks and they chatted and laughed for a few hours. Here they are enjoying one another’s company.

Ronald Elliott

Ronald has been suffering from his back pain more often. He still gets up and walks with Minerva and Doreen to feed the fish. He was remembering an old hymn from our previous hymn books. He could remember the words well enough that Doreen found it and played it for him on the piano. Here he is while walking and again listening to his own personal concert .

Doreen Beyer

Doreen also had a grand time traveling with Marie to Martinique. She kept complimenting the wheel chair service men who wheeled them both through the airport. She kept saying how kind and sweet they were and how “getting old has some perks!” Here she and Marie are with the friends in Martinique. Sonia was a co-worker with Doreen and Marie in years past.

Emma Perez

Emma is doing great, especially with the volume of visitors she is receiving. She is so happy to show anyone and everyone around and of course make introductions. She also loves to work, cook, or help out in any way she can. Rebeca Pvente came from Monterey to visit with her daughter and her husband Gema and Raul Moreno. Here she is visiting Joyce and again with her visitors.

Gwen Farmer

Gwen does well, she still helps with the puzzle as much as possible. The ladies are so quick to finish puzzles that we have to change them out pretty frequently.

Elsie Schroeder

Elsie is always so happy to have Don and Becky come for a visit. Now that they will be meeting with us once a month she is even more excited. Here they are with Sylvia McPherson posing by the puzzle table and another of Elsie with our neighbor, Dawn Overby, who likes to help with the puzzles.

Joyce Naber

Joyce is doing well after her fall. She did fracture one of her fingers which they placed in a stent to heal. She was discharged from the hospital on Cinco de Mayo and Salena brought her back to her home in the Willis Nursing Home. She loves her visitors and loves to laugh so a visit with her is always a fun time. Here she is with some of her visitors.

Fern Duncan, Alice Oetken, Gilbert Reese

All of our away from home residents continue to do well. Fern sleeps for most of the day, and when visited doesn’t respond much. Nadine and Lynden were in to see her and took a few good photos. Alice and Gilbert still enjoy lunch together everyday in Gilbert’s place by the window. Here is Fern with Magnolia flower from Esther and being visited by the Lairds.

Thank you for your love and appreciation of each one here.

Kenny, Ken

February continued to be wet and cold, but not enough for more snow. We have had a very busy month anyway, with several big birthdays and some major changes happening.

First, our birthdays! Both Patty Maki and David Cleveland had birthdays on the third. Patty was out of town to celebrate so the girls went all out for David. Here he is with his guitar cake, and the cake again.

We did two birthday celebrations together for Mimi and Salena today. Abigail went all out again for them. Here they are with their tiramisu- macaroon cake.

Joyce was having a few bad days of weakness and confusion, which made the staff very concerned. They took her to the ER and found nothing out of the ordinary, but because of her being physically weak the doctor ordered some rehabilitation. During rehab she was given physical and occupational therapy everyday, but once she was given a cognitive assessment it was clear she could not return to us. We were able to move her to a memory care place in Willis Nursing and Rehab that we have used before. She took the news well and the move went smoothly. Several of the residents and staff have been to see her in the new place and she is doing well. Thankfully, the new place is only 15 minutes away, which makes for easier visits. She has the same great spirit, lights up when she sees us, is happy and laughing when we talk with her. Here she is with her dear friend Esther, again with Kathy, and again with her new room equipped with some reminders of home.

We have another new arrival: Doreen Beyer, from Iowa, is our 42nd resident! She has labored all over including: Iowa and the Caribbean, mainly in the French speaking islands! Here she is with Marie, Esther, and Emma in the entry way.

We had many visitors this month. Fred Adadjo came again bringing his wife, Julie, and son, Benjamin. They really enjoyed talking with Ronald and getting around to some of the others here. Here they are in the entry way.

Ken and Mary MacAdams came for a few days with Don and Becky Schroeder. Becky and Mary are sisters. They all came to see Elsie for awhile. Here they are visiting the residents at Park Manor, and again at the table.

Elise’s’ daughter and granddaughters Carol, Amelia, and Sara Aarestad came for visit. They take special interest in spending one on one time with Elsie and playing as many games as she can handle. Not to mention, they are a whizz at puzzles! It must run in the family! Here they are…

A few friends of Fern came by to meet the residents on their way to see her. Joy Jackman with grand daughter, Mariel, sister, Wendy Rudolph and Wendy’s daughter, Rebecca.

We decided to have a little hymn sing, with Doreen playing the piano (unfortunately Elton is no longer able). Here is everyone singing around the piano.

The boys have had enough of dealing with clogged drain pipes. This time they took out the backhoe! Here they are figuring out what to do when we finally get down to the pipe. Hopefully this won’t happen again!

The Texas workers staff have been on special meeting rounds this month, and they planned another workers meeting here. We really enjoy having them, and they really enjoy the time all together. Here are some pictures of the lunch afterward and the 2025 Texas Workers photo.

Even with all the rain and snow we still see some wildlife pictures.

Resident Journals

Emma Perez

Emma is doing great, she gets daily phone calls and correspondence from her many friends. Sadly, her brother in Chicago passed away this month so she spent the over a week up there. She was able to spend a few hours with him in the hospital before his passing, and attend his funeral. Here she is at special meeting being greeted by some dear friends, and again with Mary MacAdams. This young boy was pretending to be her cane!

Doreen Beyer

Doreen has fit in seamlessly, and really enjoys her new life here. She enjoys talking with Marie about anyone they would know together from their time in the islands. Here she is happily settling into her new room.

Esther Duncan

Esther does well as usual. Still keeps busy with correspondence and phone calls or emails. She is often wanting to go into town, especially to visit Joyce and the others. Here she is with Joyce being best of friends, and with Mary.

Gwen Farmer

Gwen stays the same, still corresponding with her friends in Korea as often as possible. She liked having the Uzzell girls here for a visit, and took them to her room to see some of her treasures.

Elsie Schroeder

As always, Elsie really perks up when she has company. This month she had two separate visits to enjoy. Don and Becky coming with Ken and Mary was a welcome change of pace. She really loves to play games, and hardly ever loses! Here she is at the puzzle with son, Don, and Dawn Overby.

Elton Cleveland

Elton has gone down a lot. He sleeps most of the day and then is sometimes up at night. When he does come out it is for meals, and very briefly. He did come to see what all the fuss was about when the workers were here. Here he is sitting at the piano with Jade Carolus, sunning outside with David, and again relaxing on the floor after a small fall.

Ronald Elliott

Ronald is slowing down quite a lot. Mostly, he deals with memory issues and incontinence. He has a vivid imagination sometimes, and the staff gets to go along on some of his mental journeys. He recently got prepared to have a baptism here in the pond. All we would like to know is, who is getting baptized?! Here he is celebrating David’s birthday.

Marie Mounce

Marie is her usual jovial self, and still cooks up a storm. She still struggles with her blood pressure and sometimes has to lay down because of dizziness. Here she is with some of the Uzzells who came for lunch.

Joyce Naber (Willis Nursing Home)

We have been able to visit Joyce several times already. She is always happy to see us, and seems to remember who we are. Shawn and Anita visited most recently and she knew their names. Here she is with Anita, and again with a few other visitors.

Fern Duncan, Gilbert Reese, Alice Oetken (Park Manor Nursing Home)

All of our away residents are doing quite well. Fern has even been talking when we go to visit! Gilbert still doesn’t say much, and now has Alice to watch over him and keep him company. Alice is always happy to receive visitors, but does worry about Gilbert a bit. Here they are happy to see Shawn and Anita, and Fern with her clean hat, then Doreen, Gilbert, Marie and Alice.

We have a sign over the coffee pot that gets updated regularly. Here’s the current sign:

Thanks again for your interest in us here!

Kenny and Ken