Resident of the Month Dalene “Pink” Koetje

LYNDEN
MANOR
CONTACT LIST
ADMINISTRATOR
DON FISHER
ASSISTANT
ADMINISTRATOR/
ACCOUNTANT
JANICE GRAY
DIRECTOR OF
RESIDENT SERVICES
CHRISTINA MORAN
RESIDENT RELATIONS
DIRECTOR
AMY WESTERHOF
DIRECTOR OF
FOOD SERVICES
JOY MOORLAG
ACTIVITIES
DIRECTOR
DEBBIE TAPLIN
MAINTENANCE
DIRECTOR
MARK WESTERHOF
April 2016
Resident of the Month
Dalene “Pink” Koetje
Dalene was born
in Shepherd,
Montana to Nick
and Winnie
DeVries. She was
the oldest of their
five daughters and
one son. Her father was a dairy farmer and her
mother was a homemaker. Her
mother also spent a good amount of
time helping out on the farm and being the oldest, Dalene helped take
care of the younger children.
We all know Dalene as “Pink”. She
came by that name when she was an
infant. She was the first granddaughter in the family and an aunt
gave her a pink outfit to match her
pink cheeks. Everyone started calling her “Pinkie” and the name has
been with her ever since.
When Pink was 10 the family moved
to Blaine, WA. They were excited
about renting the mayor’s house - it
had running water and indoor
plumbing, something they didn’t
have in Montana. Pink was especially excited - for the first time she
had her very own room. They loved
Washington because it was so green
and filled with flowers. The children
were schooled at Lynden Christian.
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Pink caught the school bus at Nooksack Valley High School to go to Lynden Christian High School. One day
while waiting for the bus she noticed a
young man playing catch in the
schoolyard. It was Howard “Squeak”
Koetje. He apparently noticed her too
and sent a note with his sister asking
Pink out on a date. The two started
dating and married soon after. They
started dairy farming.
They had three children - Barb who
now lives at Sandy Point, and Cheryl
and Galen both in Lynden. They
bought a 150 acre dairy farm in Lynden on the Line and Bradley Roads
when their children were quite young.
Today it’s a blueberry farm and
there’s also a housing development
there. Pink’s son lives on the property.
While raising their family they went
on lots of Saturday picnics in the hills
after the work was done. Sports, softball in particular, was a big part of
their lives. Squeak played softball
and the family went to the games together. Squeak eventually coached
his granddaughter’s softball teams.
The Northwest Washington Fair was
also a favorite event. The children’s
grandfather showed his draft horses.
Pink was one to always keep busy.
(continued on page 3)
Beginning with a meeting in 1995, I have had one
primary focus, to make Lynden Manor the best!
That’s 21 years ago. I feel I have done my part and
looking on to the next 21 years I realize that I need
to make some changes to continue that goal. With
that being said, I would like to announce that I am
letting go of the day to day operation of Lynden
Manor. I am still majority owner and will be involved in the overall operation but not to the extent
I have. You can’t get rid of me that quickly. So, it
is with distinct pleasure that I announce I have
hired Jack D. Harrison (JD) as the new Administrator of Lynden Manor. JD has been a loyal em-
ployee of Christian Health Care Center for over 28
years and comes to us highly recommended. He
will be taking over my day to day responsibilities
and eventually move into my office space. He begins work here April 1st and will be training with
me for approximately two months. I know everyone will enjoy JD. So, please when you see him
walking around the building say hello and introduce
yourself. I know you will appreciate it as much as
he will.
Don Fisher, Administrator
Spring Quotes

“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would
always greet it in a garden.” Ruth Stout

“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.”
William Shakespeare

“In spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.”
Mark Twain

“The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring
day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.”
Henry Van Dyke

“An optimist is the human personification of spring.”
Susan J. Bissonette

“The first day of April, some do say,
is set apart for All Fool’s Day.
But why the people call it so,
Nor I, nor they themselves do know.
But on this day are people sent
On purpose for pure merriment.”
Poor Robin’s Almanac, 1790

“Spring is the time of year when it’s summer in the sun,
and winter in the shade.”
Charles Dickens

“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”
Hal Borland

“Don’t even try to count all the colors of spring. God’s
pallet keep generating new hues.” Tori Sorenson
Professor Bumble, who is getting on in years, is growing absent minded. On the way
to a lecture one day, he went through a red light and turned down a one-way street in the
wrong direction. A policemen observed the entire scene but did nothing about it. How
could Professor Bumble get away with such behavior?
Answer on page 7
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(Pink Koetje continued from page 1)
While raising her children she worked in the kitchen at Lynden Auction and
later at Everson Auction. She was also very involved at the children’s school
and The Sumas Christian Reformed Church. Pink loved photography and was
rarely without a camera in her hand. She captured pictures of family, friends,
church, and the farm for both special and everyday events. For their 50th
wedding anniversary their daughter Cheryl took all the pictures Pink had taken
and organized them in photo albums - some 16,000 pictures! Pink also sewed
and made many wedding and bridesmaid dresses for family members. She did
very intricate lace work and sometimes even made her own patterns. Pink always enjoyed taking care of people and took in nieces and nephews and even
friends from time to time - there was always room for one more in their home.
Pink and Squeak liked to go boating, fishing and hunting with a group of
friends. They sometimes went into Canada and traveled some around this
area. They also took a trip to Hawaii.
“Happy
Birthday to
You…”
Resident
Birthdays
Squeak passed away three years ago and Pink moved from the family farm to
Lynden Manor shortly after that. Today her family includes 7 grandchildren
and 23 great-grandchildren. Pink tells her family that “if you can’t live in
your own home, Lynden Manor is the best place to be”.
Helen Christiansen 4/3
Dalene “Pink” Koetje 4/8
Pat White 4/8
Hilda Kornelis 4/10
Janette Bakker 4/15
Ruth Statema 4/27
Lynden Manor Van
Temporary Schedule Change
Staff
Birthdays
Due to scheduled staff vacations there will be some temporary changes to the
days our van runs.
Kathy Bendt 4/16
Tessa Sytsma 4/19
Kathy Novak 4/27
Marina LaLuz 4/27
The weeks of June 27th to July 1st and July 11th to July 15th the van will
run Tuesday through Friday (instead of Monday through Thursday). On Fridays of those two weeks the van will travel to Lynden in the morning and
Bellingham in the afternoon. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday destinations will remain unchanged. The van will not run at all on Monday, June
27th or Monday, July 11th.
Please keep these changes in mind as you schedule your appointments.
Thanks in advance for your patience and understanding.
The Answer to Last Month’s Mind Trap Question:
A man left home one morning. He turned right and ran straight
ahead. Then he turned left. After a while, he turned left again, running faster than ever. Then he turned left once more and decided to
go home. In the distance he could see two masked men waiting for
him. Who were they?
They were the catcher and the umpire. He was playing baseball!
3
In Memory
Of…
Richard Johnson
Peggy Vellema
Jean Bosman
April 10 - 16
A Very Big Thank You to the Following Volunteers!
Egbert Maas - 18½ years - Egbert has done the Sunday Service here two times a month since Lynden
Manor’s beginning. He also does a Bible Study once
a week and is our Resident Council President.
Sharon Schneider - 5 years - Sharon plays the organ for our Sunday Service twice a month.
Reverend Ron Hanko - 4½ years - Rev. Hanko
does our Sunday Service once and occasionally
twice a month.
Hymn Singers from the Senior Center - 18 years They lead a Hymn Sing here once a month.
Betty and The Boys - 4 years - A music group that
entertains us about every other month.
Henry Kuipers and Family - 12 years - They lead a
hymn sing here one evening a month.
Pat Hagen - 2½ years - Pat plays either the organ or
the piano three times a month for a sing-a-long.
Kim Renskers - 10 years - Kim drives from Camano
Island once a week to assist with our Shopping
Spree.
Jane Tromberg - 1 year - Reads to residents during
Book Club on Wednesday mornings.
Hope Lutheran Church - 8 years - They do our
Sunday Service the first Sunday of the month.
Jardinski Singers - 6 months - A family of singers
that entertain us monthly.
Darlene Millican - 6 years - Darlene decorates the
bulletin boards in SCC and the activity room on
second floor once a month.
Ted Postma - 3 months - Reads to residents during
Book Club on Monday mornings.
Gert Postma - 5½ years - Gert helps out with our
activities and outings anytime she’s needed. She also
leads an evening game time one time a week.
Madyson Medel - new - spends time visiting with
residents.
Glennia Dickens - new - Visits with residents in
our Special Care Center.
Nancy Middlekauff - 5 years - Nancy, a resident
here, keeps Lynden Manor’s library in tiptop shape.
These volunteers have given countless hours of their time and talents to Lynden
Manor and have done so much to enhance the lives of our Residents. We appreciate
you all so very much and it would be impossible to get along without you.
You have our heartfelt thanks!
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Please Welcome Our New Residents
Donna Timmer
Apt. #307
Margaret Assink
Apt. #223
Birthplace: Lynden, WA
Occupation: Loan Servicing
Family: 2 Sons, 2 Daughters,
10 Grandchildren, 2 Greatgrandchildren
Hobbies: Pinochle, flower gardening
Travel: Around the U.S. in
their motorhome, trip to Hawaii
with her two daughters
Birthplace: Lynden, WA
Occupation: Housewife and
worked as a librarian at Lynden
Christian grade school
Family: 3 Daughters, 1 Son, 10
Grandchildren, 10 Great-grandchildren
Hobbies: Knitting, crocheting
Travel: Guam and some of the
United States
Bob Moore
Apt. #308
ANSWER
He was walking
Birthplace: Topeka, Kansas
Occupation: Blueberry farmer
and manager of Ferndale Safeway
Family: Wife Dorothy, 3 Sons,
1 Daughter, 7 Grandchildren,
12 Great-grandchildren
Hobbies: Woodworking, golf,
reading
Travel: Southwest U.S. in motorhome, Europe, Japan
Dorothy Moore
Apt. #308
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Birthplace: Burlington Junction,
Missouri
Occupation: Housewife and
bookkeeper for Blueberry farm
Family: Husband Bob, 3 Sons, 1
Daughter, 7 Grandchildren,
12 Great-grandchildren
Hobbies: Reading and family
Travel: Southwest U.S. in motorhome, Europe, Japan
Happy Lynden Manor
Anniversaries to…
Clara Sterley who moved in 1 year ago on April 2nd
Lois Zimmerman who moved in 1 year ago on April 16th
We wish you both a Happy Anniversary
and many more Happy Years
here at Lynden Manor