I loved Harry.

May,1984: I ventured away from home with my first real job. Heritage Manor Care Center. I was hired as an LPN charge nurse. Exciting but scary, my own apartment, a good job...$5/hour and excited to meet new people in a new area.

Harry, one of the residence, an old farmer, do not remember any/if any family members but he was short in stature, bald or balding and unique in an old codger (used affectionately to refer to an eccentric but amusing old man) way. Harry wandered the home or sat in the day room pleasantly (sometimes not so pleasant) confused. I loved that man, don't know why but he put the sparkle in the day. Harry being an old farmer thought in terms of farming and............his co-residence were most often the cattle he tried to herd and would get very distraught when the people would go out to sit on the patio, he would be right out there to herd them back in..."suuuuuuuu..........eeeeee......." Meal time, Harry would again try to round them up to the cattle troughs (dining area). I loved that man. Feb, 1985: I attended a small baby's funeral in the morning and then went to work the 2-10 shift only to be told that Harry died that day at dinner time..........I cried my heart out....the staff knew what he meant to me...........I so loved that man.....and the baby that didn't get to leave the hospital...a very sad day. Today, 2010: I visited a care center as a family member, there sits an elderly confused man, didn't really know me as his daughter but knew I was someone that would give him help...concerned about a motor....later wanted his pick-up truck and was trying to take another lady's wheelchair (pick-up) like Harry's cow this lady was not giving in to this old farmer...."this is my w/c and its gonna stay right here". I love this man.

August 8,1992 archive photo