A Celebrity in our Midst –

Resident Don Lusk is a veteran animator and director with one of the most wide-ranging resumes in the industry. He began his ca- reer at the studios in 1933 as an “in-betweener”, but soon rose to the position of Assistant Animator, working with some veteran an- imators. By 1938 he had become a full animator, lending his artistry to such classics as “Pinocchio,” “Fantasia,” “The Wind and the Willows,” “Alice in Wonderland,” Peter Pan,” “,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “101 Dalmatians”. Too bad we’ve never heard of any of those films, right? and Ollie Johnson, authors of the book, “The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation” said of Don: “The scenes of the glow- ing white fish in the Arabian Dance section of ‘Nutcracker Suite’ (Fanta- sia) amazed the whole Studio. No one had ever seen such a gossamer effect, and very few knew how it had been achieved.” Don Lusk, holding his After leaving Disney, Don went to work for Winsor McCay Award Trophy (most notable for Woody Woodpecker). Don also animated for on the 1962 feature “Gay Purr-ee”. Don then moved to Hanna-Barbera (most notable perhaps for The Flinstones and Yogi Bear). Don spent the next three decades there working as an animator, animation director and director be- fore retiring in 1993. Don is now 101 and received this Winsor McCay Award as recognition for career contributions to the art of animation. Don is in impressive company, as the 2014 recipient of the award was Stephen Spielberg! Don remains one of the most accomplished and respected elder statesmen of animation. The Villas is blessed to have him as a resident and friend, because he’s also a heck of a nice guy! From the desk of the Executive Director Since we’ve had so many new resi- seeing the preparation and serving of approximately 500 meals a dents join us in the last several day is a monumental responsibility, but Salvador always has time months, I would like to take this op- to talk to residents about their food requests. I encourage you to at- portunity to explain the roles of our tend our Food for Thought Meetings, held on the 3rd Wednesday of managers and supervisors here at San every month. Clemente Villas. The first person you Barbara Tancredi is our Activity Director and puts together this probably met when you came to San newsletter that you are reading and the Activity Calendar. She is Clemente Villas was Stephanie Alter, happy to discuss any of your activity interests with you if there is our Marketing Director. Stephanie’s something you would like to see on the calendar. Patricia Men- primary responsibility is to work with doza oversees the housekeeping department and Anna Lombardi Karen Milroy persons interested in moving them- supervises the Front Desk staff. Nick Sgountzos is Director of Executive Director selves or their loved ones into the Vil- Maintenance. If you have a maintenance need, please have the re- e-mail: karen@san- las. If you have a friend or family ceptionist put it in the Maintenance Log Book so that the mainte- member you would like to refer to the clementevillas.com nance staff is apprised of your request. Villas, Stephanie is the person to con- On the weekends Elaine West fills in for manage- tact. Also, if you are interested in ment as well as marketing and oversees what she moving to another apartment, Stephanie is the most knowledge- affectionately calls “her weekend warriors.” As able about availability. the Executive Director I oversee all of the op- Jan McAlister is our Assisted Living Director and oversees the erations of the building and report to Aileen Wellness Department. Jing and Amelia are her right-hand “men”, and Paul Brazeau, the owners. I maintain with Amelia overseeing the care service program and Jing over- an open-door policy and am always happy seeing the running of the Med Room. If you have any questions re- to address any of your concerns. I also garding your health or your care, please see one of these three remind you that we have a Town Hall employees. Maria Nemeth is our Business Office Manager, and Meeting on the first Thursday of each she is the person you go to if you have a question about your bill month where you have the opportu- or accounting issues. Salvador Caballero is our Food Service Di- nity to meet and interact with the rector, which means he oversees all of the kitchen and dining room managers! operations. His is the largest department in the building, and over-

Purposful Aging Employee of the Month By Arline Phipps, resident San Clemente Villas By Diana Sanchez

Sometime children, all of whom had always lived around my 80th at great distances from me; take time to birthday, my eld- manage my own life better, rather than est, Steve, flew to spend so much time doing volunteer MARCH down to Florida work; glean the most important memo- Yaneth Oseguera from Philadel- rabilia from the large accumulation I had phia for a few been carting from pillar to post with me days' visit with for years; write more poetry; and main- me. He brought tain optimum physical fitness. Once Arline Phipps with him an started, I found that listing these goals agenda of sev- became easier and easier. Reviewing eral items, this list now accuses me of how short I among them: to check my driving. I was have fallen of achieving my goals. In my Yaneth (the “y” is pronounced like a soft “j”) unaware that that was his plan when he bedtime prayers, the Lord is subjected to is our employee of the Month for March. asked me to drive to our dinner out one petitions for another tomorrow, to make Yaneth has been working at the Villas for eight evening. When we arrived safely home, a bit more progress toward fulfillment of he confessed his purpose and told me my intentions. years. She started working in the dining room that I was fit to continue behind the The structure afforded by participation but her attention to detail with resident care got wheel. in two writing groups since moving to her promoted to Med-Tech four years ago. Out- On the following evening, pen and the Villas has helped me write many lit- side of work she enjoys spending time with her notepad in hand, he took a seat opposite tle vignettes about my life. A major ac- me and announced, “Tell me what your complishment has been to tell my family. Yaneth has a 12 year old son and an 11 goals are.” I was stunned and felt chal- husband's story, from my point of view, year old daughter. Together they enjoy the out- lenged. When I told a friend about it, she as a Christmas gift to my grandchildren, doors, especially the beach. At work she enjoys scoffed, “Goals? What goals can we some of whom never knew him. All of have at our age?” I began haltingly: for the other goals are works in progress, talking with the residents and is always amazed my children, write down some things leading me to believe I still have much by their life stories and of course their wisdom. about my life story; seek a deeper spiri- to live for. tual life; get to better know my grand- Page 2 SAN CLEMENTE VILLAS BY THE SEA • WWW.SANCLEMENTEVILLAS.COM Resident Focus - Jim & Joyce Ekstrom

Jim was born October 19, 1925 in Duluth, Minnesota. Canada and Mexico. His father was H.B. Ekstrom, a contractor, who built After traveling the homes and passed this trade along to his son. Jim’s couple settled down mother Hilda, was a mid-wife. Hey, did you know that in Las Vegas, Ne- Jim grew up with our resident Aris Peterson? How is vada. They bought a that, you ask? Well, it’s because Aris is his sister! Jim beautiful 3,000 and Aris had a good childhood. In fact, there were 11 square foot home kids in the family. Jim was the 10th, and Aris was the with a view of the baby! Vegas city lights by Joyce was born June 9th, 1928 also in Duluth Min- night and the moun- nesota. When Joyce was in high school she took piano tains by day. They and organ lessons from the church organist who also went on to live there owned a local mortuary. Nobody could afford an organ, for 18 years. This Joe and Joyce - Just 'A Few Joyce as a young woman so Joyce went to the mortuary to take her lessons and to brings us up to the Years Ago' practice. They told her that if anybody comes in to look present. Their at a body, to just go into a hymn. They also told her that daughter Debbie Peterson (a regular here at the Villas vis- she had a great audience, dead bodies, so no complaints. iting Aris) said to her parents, “Come on out to San Well, it wasn’t long before Joyce was offered to take Clemente”. The couple decided they didn’t want to pur- over the organist job at her Lutheran church. Joyce also chase a house and go through the whole upkeep, shop- tells of when was 16 and heard that a little band combo ping, cooking and cleaning thing. Not only that, they needed a piano player. So she told her mother, “I’m relished the thought of being so near their daughter. In going to go down to the AF of L (or whatever it was) and fact, Debbie stops in regularly (she was here when I came try out.” Joyce got hired. On her first night she was play- in to interview the couple). You may have heard Debbie ing away and all of a sudden some policemen came in sing at the Villas a couple of times. She’s a music teacher and said, “What’s your name? How old are you?” She and pianist. Their other daughter, Trudy Mestemacher, is told them she was 16 and the police said, “You’re not al- a PhD in nutrition and still lives in Las Vegas. lowed to be in here”. It was a place that served alcohol! Jim and Joyce are a lovely couple who have been mar- Even though she was only drinking 7-Up, they told her to ried 67 years as of June 19th. As you can see they’ve had not come back until she was of age. She went home and and continue to have a most interesting life. Now that told her mother what happened and her mother said, their adventurous life has brought them to the Villas I Jim Ekstrom as a young man “Well, God answers prayers.” (She wanted Joyce out of asked Joyce what she likes about her new home. She said there fast). Joyce said to herself, “My first job, and I get “everything”. The beautiful rooms, ocean view, where fired on my first night.” it’s located (near my daughter). It’s “home”. But mostly Well, it just so happens that Jim’s sister Aris was in the I love the people that work here. They go out of their same class in the 7th grade as Joyce. But it wasn’t until way to help us! I can’t get over how helpful everybody the two girls were in high school that Aris introduced is. If you ask them they don’t say, “I’ll do it tomorrow or Joyce to her brother Jim who was in college at the time. next week…they take care of you right then and there.” Interestingly, Robert, who was one of Jim and Aris’ In fact, when they first moved in, Joyce told me the brothers, was the music teacher for Joyce and Aris in 7th owner of the Villas, Aileen, came to their room and said grade. Jim had been in the Army Air Corp and was just she was there to “check things out”. Joyce was so sur- getting out when he met Joyce. prised when Aileen After marriage Jim and Joyce built the Airliner Motel went straight to the near the Duluth Airport, and then ran it together. Joyce bathroom and as tells the story of Jim being the first person to whom the Joyce said, “started city of Duluth ever issued a permit to build a commer- monkeying around to cial outdoor pool. No permits had ever been issued be- make sure it was cause an outdoor pool would crack in the cold winter. working.” Joyce But the city gave Jim the permit because they knew and says, “Now that’s trusted him. The pool was fine for the five years of Jim something to write Jim and Joyce when they taking care of it. It never cracked. Then the couple sold home about! You just Trudy, Jim, Joyce and Debbie were dating the motel and in the first year the pool cracked under the don’t have the owner new owners. In fact it had to be removed because they come in and fiddle couldn’t fix it. All this after Jim had told them how to with the toilet!” Joyce take care of it! concludes, “We came Then Joyce shares “Then we went to Ocala Florida to to the right place.” escape the cold and while there Jim said, ‘We’re not going to just sit around on the beach while we’re here.’ So Jim went out and bought three lots and built several homes on them.” After Florida the family moved to San Jose where Jim got a job as security control at Kaiser Per- manente. The family lived in San Jose for the next 20 years. Joyce worked at Chris Lowes Department store for 2008 The Couple's about 15 of those years. When the kids were done with Jim and Joyce Ekstrom 60 Year Anniversary school and off on their own the couple left San Jose and February 2015 bought a motorhome to travel all over the United States, SAN CLEMENTE VILLAS BY THE SEA • WWW.SANCLEMENTEVILLAS.COM Page 3 We Love ACTIVITIES at the Villas

Barbara Tancredi Activities Director Celebrating 3 Years! Esme shows the folks an item up for bid at Jessie and Dorathy show off their [email protected] our Valentine's Auction heart trees from Diana's Craft

Swing Set Performs for the Residents for Valentine's Day Party Grace (in the middle) concentrating on Bingo. Howard and Martha in front doing the same.

Ashley Harris performs for us. Ashley is Mike DeBellis performs for Happy Hour. granddaughter of the Steffens. What a great musician! Maridel sings along.

Robin Gable is One of Our Many Awesome Villas' Theater Group Does Their First Robin Gable performs for Happy Hour. Monthly Musicians for Happy Hour 2015 Performance for the Residents Jo and Dee dance. Page 6 SAN CLEMENTE VILLAS BY THE SEA • WWW.SANCLEMENTEVILLAS.COM Welcome from the West Indies! Well, we’re enjoying 83 degree days, color green. and beautiful sunsets. What a great and The second reason is my favorite and what I really think hap- amazing place we live in! March, being pens, it’s an entirely American tradition that probably started in the “Lucky Month”, can only bring us the early 1700s. St. Patrick’s revelers thought that wearing green more of these truly wonderful things. It’s made one invisible to leprechauns, which are fairy creatures who hard to believe that on the East Coast they would pinch anyone they could see (anyone not wearing green). are still dealing with weather systems People began pinching those who didn’t wear green as a reminder coming in and below freezing tempera- that leprechauns would sneak up and pinch those not wearing Kym Serafino tures throughout the day, and here we are green. But even more exciting is Spring! Warmer weather, “sun- West Indies Care Manager in our shorts and enjoying the sunshine shiny” days, fresh new flowers blooming and BIRDS!!!!! Yes e-mail: [email protected] on our faces. The “Lucky” Month of BIRDS. Here in the West Indies we have a new batch of baby March has arrived. We have leprechauns, birds just in time for March. They’re singing away, sharing with rainbows and pots ‘o gold lurking amongst us. Here in the “West us their gift of song. Please come see the little feathered cuties Indies” we have several exciting things to celebrate in March. the next time you are down to spend time with us as we sing-a- Daylight Savings for one, bringing us more sunshine throughout long with Bobbette, listen to Keary or dance with Mike Farrell. the day allowing for longer stays outside, longer walks on the We are always having fun, chasing rainbows, hiding from lep- beach, and for me lots and lots of water polo. And what about St. rechauns and relaxing in the beautiful sunshine, and Patrick’s Day? It’s a lucky day, green beer day (oops, did I say feeling lucky - because we are so very that?) and the day that you must wear green or you will be lucky! pinched!? But why? Well, I have heard of different reasons why, Enjoy your March – and I will share them with you. One, The Country of Ireland is we sure will be! known as the Emerald Isle, therefore countryman are expected to With much love, wear green in honor of their country. If you do not wear the color Kym, Joe & the green, your fellow countryman will pinch you to remind you that West Indies Staff you are of Irish descent and that you should in fact be wearing the

Thank you Paul from all of our ladies for the roses!

Frances and her daughter Allyson spending quality time together

Julie got her nails done at the 'West The West Indies Ladies Indies Beauty Shop'

SAN CLEMENTE VILLAS BY THE SEA • WWW.SANCLEMENTEVILLAS.COM Page 7 March Happenings

Happy St. Patricks Day

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STEM CELL THERAPY Happy SEMINAR St. Patrick’s Day Friday • March 6th, 2015 2015 Everybody’s Irish on St. Patty’s Day. It is 2:00 pm in our Activities Center a day of merriment and parades in many major cities in the U.S. If you come from Advancements in Non-Surgical Treat- Stephanie Alter Chicago, Philadelphia, New Jersey, ments for Arthritis in the Knee, Hip and Director of Marketing Boston, New York (the entire North East), Email: stephanie@ or a large city you understand how large Other Joints sanclementevillas.com this celebratory day can be. From green rivers of water, beer, Irish whiskey and Irish Soda Bread to four-leaf Stem Cell Therapy is a revolutionary procedure for treating arthri- Clovers, top hats and bow ties, everything is green. Notre Dame has tis pain and a safer alternative to surgery. Learn how other pa- “The Fighting Irish”, Rhode Island has the Kennedy’s, the South had tients have benefited from this treatment and how it can Stonewall Jackson, the North and the United States of America had enhance your quality of life. Join us for a complimentary lecture Ulysses S. Grant, the Constitution had it’s John Hancock, California that will be given by two local physicians who specialize in Re- had Ronnie Reagan and a slew of beautiful Irish decent actresses, the generative Medicine and Pain Management. Residents, Family teens in the sixties had the Beatles in which Paul, John and George were and Community Members are all welcome! all of Irish decent. Highly spiritual people with a keen sense of warmth and hospitality as well as a determined toughness the Irish love being Irish and enjoy hard work, the celebration at the end of the day, artistry, the written word, storytelling, History and Science. Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, George Bernard Shaw, Thomas Moore, William Yeates, James Kavanaugh and Jonathan Swift are a few well-known writers and poets. Did you know that Halloween originated with the Gaelic Harvest Festi- val. The Foyle Halloween Carnival is Ireland’s largest street festival. Guinness Stout is one of the World’s best brews. The U.S. 2000 Census reported the Irish Americans are the 2nd largest ethnic group after the German Americans. One half of the population of Australia is of Irish decent. Today, the Irish are in the forefront of the music industry with Alternative music and folksy rhythmic, poetic lyrical songs. It is a proud day for Irish Americans who fought hard for their freedom and the free- dom of all people. KISS ME I’M IRISH! WELCOMENEWRESIDENTS HELP US SAVE OUR LOCAL HOSPITAL Agnes Al Nancy Lillian Please take the time to do what it takes to Jennie Juanita Charles Dan and Mary SAVE OUR HOSPITAL Bob Emily VISIT ONLINE: Dick & Roberta SANCLEMENTE911.COM - Sign the Petition Page 8 SAN CLEMENTE VILLAS BY THE SEA • WWW.SANCLEMENTEVILLAS.COM