The Ehrlichs not only have enjoyed playing pranks; their friends have, too. One April Fool’s Day, Shirley sewed Dwain’s underwear shut. Then there was the time friends surprised them with a hand-painted mural of the “Varga Girl” on their bathroom wall. Today, the two still love to tease and surprise each other and find reasons to laugh. We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine, and it’s true. Studies show laughter relieves stress, elevates mood and makes you more resilient. It’s also good for keeping relationships resilient, as the Ehrlichs prove. Shirley and Dwain Ehrlich
The good times they’ve share include several hobbies. Shirley loves sewing and designing. Dwain has a passion for cars (owning 77), boats (seven), and an airplane (he learned to fly in a cow pasture). Together, they’ve loved boating and ballroom dance. Today they still dance and make time for date night each week. They also enjoy bocce ball. Oh yes, and they love a little good-hearted mischief.
Their love of philanthropy also has gone the distance. For 20 years, the Ehrlichs have made donations to Sun Health Foundation campaigns, including the Generosity for Generations Campaign. While they thankfully haven’t needed much medical care themselves, it’s important to them that their generosity helps others enjoy more days of laughter following healthcare challenges. Cheers to Shirley and Dwain for many more years of love and laughter — and every now and then a prank to keep things exciting.
Newlyweds Shannon and Gary Cheever In the twists and turns of life, it’s inspiring to know that a resilient mindset can help weather the changes and open doors to new possibilities. For newlyweds Shannon and Gary Cheever, fate truly played its hand and opened those doors to make way for new love when they met at Sun Health’s La Loma Village Community, in January 2021.
Gary moved to Phoenix in 1959 and joined Sperry Flight Systems. He also was the male vocalist with the Sperry 21-piece dance band. Later Gary started his own business in sales engineering, manufacturing and distribution. The company’s specialty was Custom DC Power Systems. The systems were on the space shuttle; they were used for seismic exploration systems in the petroleum industry,
Both Shannon and Gary lost their spouses in 2020, and both had moved to La Loma within a month of each other at the end of 2020. Shortly afterward, mutual friends invited Shannon and Gary to join them for dinner. “We just clicked,” Gary says. “A connection formed that we cannot explain.” “Shannon and I discovered our common interest in everything, including the fact that throughout our lives we both always accepted challenges and made things happen,” Gary says about their outlook on life. Their resilient mindset contributed to both of them having fulfilling careers.
Shannon and Gary Cheever on their wedding day
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