At PPH, there are many residents who have lived impactful lives. Each person has a story different from the other, but their paths all crossed when they moved into PPH.
The passions and joy of our women residents are on full display this March, as we once again celebrate Women’s History Month with special presentations from nine women residents.
We kicked off the month on Monday, March 3 with three presentations. Presentations include life stories, experiences, hobbies, memories, reflections, advice and more.
Audience members look on during Pat Morrissy’s presentation
Pat Morrissy
Fulfillment of Providing for Family
Gateway Manor resident Pat Morrissy led off and spoke about the years she spent canning and preserving jars of food, which she learned from living in an Amish and Mennonite community.
From apple sauces, jellies, honey, tea, onions (freshly-stored in pantyhose) and more, she found great satisfaction and enjoyment in providing healthy options that didn’t consist of dyes and preservatives for her family — even though her sons were not fans of her ketchup.
Three of Pat’s favorites were rosemary, garlic and lavender jelly, which all made for a tasty spread on a bagel!
Canning and preserving food were a lot of work while raising children and working full-time, but Pat found it to be satisfying.
“It was exhausting at times, but it was very fulfilling to feed my family from what I grew. And I had my sons to help me,” she said. “I enjoyed it.”
Merle Wilson
Frankford – Home of Champions!
Alpha Manor resident Merle Wilson spoke about her life, much of what was spent in the Frankford neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia prior to moving to PPH. She talked about her childhood days of hopscotch and hula hooping, spending 10 cents at the movie theater, one penny at the candy store, and finally meeting more people from the neighborhood when she was old enough to cross the street!
After graduating from Frankford High School, Merle married, had kids, and worked at a bank and later an insurance agency. She retired early but later took a job as a cafeteria cashier at Cheltenham High School. Her two daughters convinced her to move to PPH and she adds that her daughters have been a big help to her.
“My two daughters — now my two mothers,” she laughed.
Merle ended her presentation with “My Favorite Things – Senior Version,” a parody of “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music.”
“When the joints ache, when the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I’ve had,
And then I don’t feel so bad.”
Patricia Coyne shares stories of the work she’s done with annual Children’s Citizenship ceremonies on behalf of the Daughters of the American Revolution
Service and Volunteerism
Lawndale Manor resident Patricia Coyne presented on her family’s background as well as her many years of service and volunteerism across Philadelphia.
She told the story of how her parents met: Patricia’s mother, a mathematician who worked at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., met her father while he on leave from the Army. Where did they meet? When she tripped him while coming down the aisle off a train in her mother’s hometown of Newton Hamilton (Central Pa.). Love at first sight!
Patricia, like Merle, grew up in Frankford and also attended Frankford High School. She graduated first in her class of 500 and even received a letter from Betty Crocker after winning a Homemaker of Tomorrow” award!
Patricia has been a member of the Flag House Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for more than 40 years. One of her proudest accomplishments is the annual Children’s Citizenship ceremonies she’s initiated and coordinated: 13 people from 13 different countries are naturalized as American citizens.
She is active with the Philadelphia Interfaith Walk for Peace and Reconciliation; the Citizens Advisory Council for Probation and Parole in Philadelphia; Temple University’s Dialogue Institute; Philadelphia Flag Day Association; and has coordinated and assisted with various Philadelphia Police and community initiatives.
Community “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”
Alpha Manor resident Peg McFadden kicked off her presentation with a song, inspired by an 8th grade student from her years teaching at St. Leo Catholic Elementary.
“Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name,” sums up the connections made in life, though not necessarily in a bar setting like the classic TV sitcom Cheers.
Peg, who taught for 49 years across various subjects and grade levels, met many impactful people in her teaching days as well as through volunteerism. For many years, Peg volunteered Wednesday evenings with a ministry group that consisted of special needs students and adults, and she recalls many of the people she met.
“Individuals sharing life as best as they could, brought me so many times of great joy,” she said.
Peg spoke about tutoring four of the Lost Sudan Boys — young boys who fled their homes in southern Sudan during the Second Sudanese Civil War — and one girl who emigrated to the US. She also volunteered in a Welcome Center in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. Through these experiences, she met people from different countries who were beginning to establish a new life in the US.
“They gave back in so many ways,” Peg said. “It was wonderful to see them find a place of belonging and make community with each other.”
Holding Powerful People Accountable
Arlene Tyner, a new resident in Lawndale Manor, is a writer, journalist, publisher and grassroots organizer.
Arlene spoke on her advocacy work. She has stood up for tenants’ rights against landlords, protested during the Vietnam War, ensured that prisoners had clean jail cells, fought against efforts to keep schools segregated and much more.
A self-described “agitator,” she was inspired by her parents — both civil rights activists — to hold powerful people accountable.
Arlene holds a master’s degree in journalism from Temple University and has written extensively on Project MKUltra, a CIA human experimentation program. She is also an avid researcher on Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
Arlene also served on the Board of the Covenant House, a nonprofit organization that serves runaway, homeless and trafficked youth in the Greater Philadelphia area.
The Evolution of Medical Science
Alpha Manor resident Christine (Chris) Groeber shared her experience in medical labs, and the evolution of technology in the field. Chris spoke about the advancement of glucose testing from earlier in her career as a lab technician. What took 30-45 minutes earlier in her career with a beaker and a flask can now be done by a patient in their own home in much less time, with a glucose meter.
Later in her career, she worked as a medical technologist. One aspect of her career she was particularly fond of was conducting training in Automated Hematology. Passing along knowledge to her peers was of high importance to her.
“I wanted to make sure everyone liked it as much as I did,” she said.
Chris worked weekends and holidays once she had children, but went back to work full-time as her children grew up. In her early 60s, she took on part-time work, up until she was 73 years old! And even went back to school and earned a Bachelor’s in Genetics.
“I graduated from college the same year as my oldest son,” she laughed.
And the bonds she made still hold strong, as she gets together with her former coworkers a few times each year for breakfast at a local diner.
A Natural, ‘Magnificent’ Teacher
Sue Roye, a Lawndale Manor resident, discussed her love of photography and a career in education that lasted much longer than she ever imagined.
Sue worked for 10 years as a bank teller trainer, at five different locations in New York. She enjoyed creating manuals and teaching processes to others, but decided that her heart was in education.
Sue went on to work for many years as a teacher and later as a principal. As she approached 70 years old, she intended to retired. But her passion combined with her level of expertise that was needed in New York
And even though she’s retired, she’s still a teacher at heart! An avid photographer with a collection of photos she took on her iPhone 6s during her trip to Europe, Sue can often be found showing other PPH residents how to take quality photos on their smart phones.
One resident noted Sue’s natural ability as a teacher, when Sue helped her fix something on her computer.
“Sue is phenomenal,” said fellow resident Mary Ann Volk. “She stayed with me until I was sure I could do what I needed to do on my own. She’s a magnificent teacher.”
Always Up for a Challenge
The final resident-speaker was Maxine Littlepage. Maxine, who moved into Lawndale Manor last year, was initially hesitant to present, but received positive encouragement from fellow residents Pat Ripoll and Sylvia Metzler.
Maxine told stories of camping trips, which included a trip to Maine, and one trip that almost never began when her friends’ luggage was almost lost to a trash truck!
She also told of her travels to Greece, England Germany and Puerto Rico. And she showed off her ceramic collection, which included items that her nephew and grandson gifted her. She also shared a few of her many stored puzzles and explained her love of a challenge.
“It will not defeat me,” she says to herself whenever she comes across a tough puzzle.
“Maxine’s apartment is like visiting a museum” one resident remarked, of all the puzzles she has on display.
A Roar for Women
At the end of the final set of presentations, many members of the audience sang Helen Reddy’s “I am Woman.”
“I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back and pretend
‘Cause I’ve heard it all before
And I’ve been down there on the floor
No one’s ever gonna keep me down again”
No one will keep the women of PPH down, and we thank all our resident-speakers for telling us their stories!
