Life theArts 100 years young

Juana ‘Jenny’ Cue talks about her long life and long career at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital

Calendar

The calendar appears Mondays through Saturdays in the “Life & the Arts” section. Items are welcome. Please email them a full week before the event to Managing Editor Dave Mason at dmason@ newspress.com.

TODAY 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Entangled:

Responding to Environmental Crisis,” runs through March 25 at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art in Montecito. The museum is open from 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It’s closed on Sundays and college holidays. For more information, call 805-565-6162 or visit westmont.edu/ museum.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Storytelling:

Native People Through the Lens of Edward S. Curtis” is on display through April 30 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, visit sbnature. org. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “SURREAL

WOMEN: Surrealist Art by American Women” is on display through April 24 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, www.sullivangoss.com.

11 a.m.: Voctave, an 11-member a cappella ensemble, will perform a family-friendly concert at the Music Academy of the West’s Hahn Hall, 1070 Fairway Road, Montecito. Youths 17 and younger will be admitted free. The regular tickets for 18 and older is $10. To purchase, go to musicacademy.org. By appointment on weekdays: “Holly Hungett: Natural Interpretations” is on view through May 20 at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara’s gallery, 229 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. The gallery is open 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and weekdays by appointment. For more information, call the foundation at 805-965-6307 or go to www.afsb.org.

Noon to 5 p.m. “Clarence Mattei:

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Juana “Jenny” Cue started working at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in 1953 when she was 30 years old.

And she continued working there right up to March 22 of this year.

That’s when she turned 100 and retired after 70 years. The hospital honored her that day with a special celebration that included her family.

“I started working with Cottage in the laundry/linen processing department,” Ms. Cue told the News-Press. “I was part of a staff that worked really hard and met our deadlines, yet we were able to enjoy our work.

“On Fridays, we would all have a potluck lunch together as a reward and when each of our birthdays came up, we would have a small pinata with candy and treats and would treat each other to lunch,” she said. “I was later promoted to Central Supply, where I packed linens and instruments for every department at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital..”

Ms. Cue said what she loved about working at Cottage was “working with all of my coworkers, which became part of my family and being the luckiest employee because all of my managers, supervisors and coworkers were always kind and made my job easier.”

Ms. Cue said the highlight of her career was “meeting so many people from different walks of life and being able to witness how much the staff truly cares for all of their patients and staff. I was able to be part of the growth of Cottage Hospital and feel confident that the establishment where I was employed would give me the opportunity to advance.”

Ms. Cue talked about her favorite memories of working at the hospital. “Spending the majority of my life with my co-workers and appreciating every aspect of our relationship among each other and with Cottage. The elaborate employee recognition parties. Ron

Werft, president and CEO of Cottage Heath, who always acknowledged me and went along with our inside joke that I had a penthouse at the top of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.”

The News-Press asked Ms. Cue how the hospital has changed during her 70 years there. “I recall that Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital was basically a one-story building with painted lumber for portions of the facade, and across the street was Knapp College of Nursing. Floors were tile and cement,” she said. “There were two to four beds in a room. The building had a different feeling, more institutional.

“Over the years, the hospital has transitioned into an awardwinning, beautiful building, inside and out. It has valet parking, amazing landscape and a friendly environment. It’s professionalism at its best,” she said.

“Within this beautiful, welldesigned building, there’s the most amazing staff work. They always keep in mind the best care for all patients,” said Ms. Cue.

“When I started, I washed and ironed linens, gowns, kitchen towels, tablecloths, doctors’ coats. I would personally embroider the doctors’ names and initials on their hospital coats. We would deliver all linens to their respective departments. Those services have been updated and my job evolved.

“During my time at Cottage, retirement plans were introduced for all employees, bus passes were made available, and a child care center was created for employee families.”

In her retirement Ms. Cue is

Portrait of a Community” is on view now through May at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, which is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 136 E. De la Guerra St. Admission is free. Hours are currently from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and from noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, visit www.sbhistorical.org.

2 and 7 p.m.: Rubicon Theatre of Ventura will perform “Dark of the Moon: A New Musical” on Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the theater, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. Prices are $30 to $69.50 with special discounts for students, seniors, military and Equity members. To purchase tickets, go to rubicontheatre.org.

8 p.m. “The Magical Music of Motown” will feature the Superband performing hits varying from “Stop in The Name of Love” to “My Girl” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” at Lobero, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. Tickets cost $48 and $58 for general admission and $78 for VIP seats. To purchase, go to lobero.org.

APRIL 2

2 p.m.: Rubicon Theatre of Ventura will perform “Dark of the Moon: A New Musical” on Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the theater, 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. Prices are $30 to $69.50 with special discounts for students, seniors, military and Equity members. To purchase tickets, go to rubicontheatre.org.

APRIL 4 7 p.m.: The Wynton Marsalis Septet will perform a variety of jazz music at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $46 to $131 for general admission and $20 for UCSB students with ID. To purchase, go to www.artsandlecturesucsb.edu or call Arts and Lectures at 805-8933535. You can also buy tickets at www.granadasb.org or by calling The Granada at 805-899-2222.

APRIL 5

7:30 p.m. Singer-songwriter Colin Hay, the former lead vocalist for Men at Work, will perform at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara. The concert will feature his songs varying from “Now and the Evermore” to “I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself.” The evening will also feature special guest Lazlo Bane. Tickets cost $59 and $69 for general admission and $106 for VIP seats, which include a pre-show reception. To purchase, go to lobero. org or call the Lobero at 805-963-0761 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays or 1-888-456-2376.

— Dave Mason