Commun ty Matters Wichita Presbyterian Manor
October 2016
‘What a wonderful world’ Louis Armstrong, with his oneof-a-kind gravely style, could get more out of a song than anyone. “I see trees of green, red roses too I see them bloom for me and you And I think to myself what a wonderful world.” That song was a slow stroll through the day. It encouraged pausing to take it all in. The gift of reflection brings to focus the wonder of everyday moments. It highlights nature’s beauty. The trees are alive in fall colors. It’s not too hot and not too cold. I’m determined to take a scenic drive, soak in the beauty and say to myself, “What a wonderful world.” WONDERFUL, continued on page 4
Betty Curtis and Art Bloomer discover they were once in the same high school. She was a teacher and he was a student.
An unexpected reunion Art Bloomer wasn’t expecting to attend a high school reunion this summer. But then Art and his wife, Sue, started talking to fellow Westerly resident Betty Curtis at our Fourth of July indoor picnic. While they made small talk, Betty asked Art where he grew up. “I said,‘You’ve never heard of it.’ I said Lebanon, Kansas, and her eyes lit up like crazy.” Betty said she most certainly did know Lebanon – it’s where she had her first teaching job in 1950-51.That was Art’s senior year at Lebanon High School. He asked her maiden name – Feldman. “It rang a bell immediately. I said,‘You’re Miss Betty.’” Not only was Betty one of Art’s teachers, she sponsored the yearbook and taught journalism. Art was editor of the student newspaper and business manager of REUNION, continued on page 2
REUNION, continued from page 1
Art said. “She laughed and said ‘I can’t wait to tell my kids I was a hot teacher!’”
the yearbook. In fact, he still had the book – which Betty had signed – in his apartment.Within a few days, Art and Betty spent hours poring over the pictures and memories inside.
It’s rather remarkable that Art and Betty wound up neighbors at the Westerly more than 65 years later. Betty was engaged during her year in Lebanon, but her fiance, Charles, was attending seminary in New Jersey. He had asked her to marry him before he left, but she wanted to wait. “I said no, I needed to pay my bills.”
Betty remembered Art as the tallest boy in school and also that he was valedictorian. Art remembers that the boys thought Miss Betty Curtis Betty was quite attractive. She was only five years older than they were. “I told her,‘You don’t know how much the senior boys were stuck on you,’”
She spent that Christmas in NewYork with Charles and bought material for her wedding dress on Broadway.They were married in June 1951, then she joined him in New Jersey for three more years.Their first son was born there. They returned to Kansas and Charles pastored several churches, while Betty taught piano and school. She eventually earned two more college degrees and later taught remedial reading to incoming freshmen at Wichita State University. Art, meanwhile, got an athletic scholarship to Emporia State University. He was drafted in his junior year and decided to join the Marine reserves so he could finish school.To his own surprise, he applied for a regular commission and spent 31 years as a Marine Corps pilot. He and his wife Sue didn’t return to Kansas until 2004 – 50 years after they were married. It’s hard to believe he wound up living in the same building as his former teacher, yet here they are. “I don’t know if it was coincidence or divine intervention,” he said. Betty, too, marveled at how one year in her life suddenly has so much significance, given her rich journey through school, marriage and family life.
Community Matters
is published monthly for residents and friends of Wichita Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at PresbyterianManors.org. Dawn Veh, executive director Jill Coleman, marketing director To submit or suggest articles for this publication, contact Amy Watson, life enrichment director, awatson@pmma.org. Telephone: 316-942-7456 Fax: 316-941-3806 Address: 4700 W. 13th St., Wichita, KS 67212-5575 Our mission: We provide quality senior services guided by Christian values. WichitaPresbyterianManor.org
Art Bloomer was on the staff of the student newspaper, his teacher Betty Curtis— now his neighbor—was the sponsor.
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Community Matters October 2016
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One-of-a-kind art created for chili cook-off Residents Nancy O’Harra and Cecil Stares participated in Senior Wednesday Aug. 17 at the Ulrich Museum of Art at WSU.
They helped join in the fight against hunger in the community and learned how to make a one-of-a-kind ceramic bowl with the Wichita Ceramics Guild, using the hand building technique. The bowl they made will be donated to the Empty Bowls Chili Cook-off fundraiser on Oct. 22 at Henrion Hall to benefit the Kansas Food Bank. Residents build ceramic bowls.
WONDERFUL, continued from page 1
I’m also convinced that Satchmo had it right when he said that even a “hello” among friends is an expression of love. “The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky / Are also on the faces of people going by I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do / They’re really saying I love you.” Human friendship is richer when we are intentionally present in the moment. A smile and a few kind words can make my day. If that is true in the natural, how much more is it true in our spiritual life? Experiencing God has much to do with our deliberate purposeful acknowledgement that He is with us. It’s dialoguing with our Father throughout the day and scheduling time to unite with Him through Scripture reading and prayer. I’m discovering that connecting with Like us on Facebook
God is far richer if I make time to regularly sit and be with Him. Stop and reflect for a few minutes, soak in His presence and enjoy connecting with our Father. May we, like King David of old, seek the one thing that really matters:
of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” — Psalm 27:4 New InternationalVersion
“One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty
Courtesy of Diane Gunsolley, chaplain at AberdeenVillage, a member of the Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Family.
Gaze on His beauty and you may just find yourself humming, “And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”
Wichita Presbyterian Manor
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Celebrations & traditions We will focus on celebrations and family traditions in an upcoming issue of Community Matters. What traditions are important to your holiday celebrations? What are your memories of Christmas? What recipes did you only make for these special holidays? If you’ve got a story to share, contact Life Enrichment Director Amy Watson and your story could be featured in an upcoming edition of Community Matters.
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Community Matters October 2016
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