Meet Eloise

Eloise has seen a lot of changes in her lifetime; she is celebrating her 100th birthday in December. She is sharp as a tack, recalling her past in vivid detail and reminiscing about being a Rosie the Riveter working at Honeywell soldering mercury switches for airplanes during WW II, her family, travels, work, and volunteer history. Eloise was born on

Now, then, and the future

We all have had the experience of living in the now and the then, but what keeps questions before us is the future.  This is probably truer today than in the past.  The speed of change in the technical world leaves many questions before us. Where we live in the United States and our occupation has much to do with

The challenge of change

We are presently living through a new challenge. One that is more demanding of our physical and mental strength. Many changes in our lives have already occurred and more to come. You have washed or sanitized your hands more than ever in your life. Your facial expressions, when meeting other people, have been limited to above the nose. You have

Time is of essence

Time is of essence.  As you read this, “Old Man 2020” is long gone and replaced by the “Baby” enshrouded with a banner reading 2021.  The old man from last year looks a bit more weary from the burden of the on-going pandemic.  However, over the past years have proved to be a struggle for humanity. Keeping meaningful records of

Jack’s Reflection on 2020

What a difference a year makes. As I was writing The Column December 2019, my perspective of daily life was very different. The theme I tried to promote was to maintain a healthy lifestyle at an older age. This is now something we at Shepherd of Grace look back at with fond remembrances. The exercise was not only keeping physically

Jack’s trip to Northern Canada’s Arctic

Many years ago, in the 1960s, while attending a lyceum program at a high school, my interest in polar bears piqued. A local professional photographer presented a program of slide pictures of his recent trip to Northern Canada’s Arctic region to explore the life of polar bears. Thirty years later my wife and I were able to travel to the

Meet Darlene!

Darlene Johnson has been a part of our Good Shepherd Family since 2017. Darlene is feisty and she would not disagree with that description. She does not “sit on the fence” and feels it is important to speak her mind and knows what is best for herself. This strength has served her well as she worked, raised a family, and

Meet Dorothy!

Dorothy was born in September 1927 on the family farm in rural Lyon County located near Marshall, Minnesota. Her parents were farmers who grew crops and raised livestock. She was the second oldest of four children. As with farm families, she grew up doing chores and learning the value of a good work ethic. She attended a small school in

Meet Roy!

It’s summer and for Roy Tomala that sparks many pleasant memories of growing up on a farm in Center Valley near Pierz, Minnesota. The farm was truly a family operation and instilled a work ethic that continues to this day. Growing up on a farm also included the best that Minnesota has to offer, hunting and fishing. Rural living often

Meet Donna!

Donna was born on February 9th, 1937 in Northeast Minneapolis. She lived with her mom, brother, and extended family while growing up. Her mom worked as a full-time janitor cleaning passenger trains at night, so she did not get to see her very much. Having to help around the house at a young age taught her to contribute and the