Eskaton Blog

“Adventure is worthwhile in itself." -Amelia Earhart

Brenda Heeke and her husband love adventure. Their passion: flying hot air balloons all over California. Her husband would pilot the balloons and Brenda would relish in the natural beauty and diversity of California.

“The pure mathematician, like the musician, is a free creator of his world of ordered beauty." -Bertand Russel

Herb Lindberg was born in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from Illinois Institute of Technology he applied for a fellowship at Stanford University. Much to his surprise he was accepted and pursued his doctorate in mechanical engineering and mathematics.

“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” – Roy T. Bennett

Despite living in desperate circumstances, Zeke believed in the power of positivity. He believes in living with a smile on his face and a laugh in his heart. Lawrence James Lewis also known as “Zeke” lived through the Great Depression. Zeke’s father worked in Oregon and bought a piece of land with the intention of building their family home, but after the Great Depression hit he pitched a 1 room tent instead.

A Love Story Kindled by 90 and 91-year–old

In 2017, Betty Mills, 88, moved to Eskaton Lodge Granite Bay from Red Bluff to be closer to her daughter. The first Sunday after she moved, Betty gathered the courage to go to church with her neighbors. As she was waiting for the bus, Betty locked eyes with a man sitting on a bench outside the community.

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?" – Satchel Paige

“Statistically, I am 95 years old,” said Jean Humburg. “But that does not clarify who I am.” 

Jean recently had the privilege to be a part of a group of residents from Eskaton who met with graduating students from the Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning (SAEL). They were together every Thursday for eight weeks. During that time, they learned to understand who they were in the eyes of each other.

“Being happy is a state of mind." Harry attributes his longevity to his wife Frances and his state of mind. Harry and Frances Bleile were married in 1942 and celebrated over 70 years of marriage. "Our marriage hasn't always been easy but, no relationship ever is," says Frances. 

“The secret to a happy life is people." Michael Catino, born on January 22, 1920, in New York, attributes his longevity to living a happy life and having a healthy social life. Mike is the grandson of Italian immigrants and is 99 years old. His passions in life are family, friends and baseball.

Did you know your attitude about age can greatly influence your health and well-being? Levy et. al (2002) found that a positive attitude towards aging can actually increase your lifespan by 7.5 years. In other words, negative thoughts about aging, also known as "ageism",  may have a cumulative harmful impact on our health. 

Volunteerism isn't so much about what you do, it's all about who you are. At Eskaton, our 2,600 volunteers each year invest their time, talent and compassion in a variety of beautiful ways. 

By Michele Ozanich, Director of Resident Services

Eskaton Village Grass Valley resident continues to show that despite being 90, life can be full of wonderful surprises. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches and considered a “gentle giant” most of his life, Zeke was told at age 64 that his heart was so bad he would not survive another 5 years. Well, survive and thrive he did, going on to defeat the odds another 26 years and counting.