Father Don Seeks: Soaring With Eagles

A publication of Palm Village Retirement Community
Cover story |
page 3
Father
Don Seeks:
Soaring With
Eagles
April, 2016 | www.palmvillage.com
Page 6-7:
Soup Supper Pictorial
Page 8-9:
Here and There
Page 12:
Giumarra Award
In the Chapel
Please join us Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.
Public is welcome.
April
6
13
20
27
April, 2016 | www.palmvillage.com
Dennis Fast, Pastor, Reedley MB Church
Randy Reiswig, Pastor, Dinuba MB Church
Jordan Ringhofer, Pastor, Kingsburg MB Church
Galen Wiest, Missions Mobilizer
May
4
11
15
18
Chaplain Byron Neufeld, Does Prayer Matter?
Bob Kroeker
Old Fashioned Hymn Sing, 5:45 p.m.
Gary Prieb, Missions in Congo Report
Father Seeks: Soaring With Eagles...............3-4
Valentine’s Day Sweethearts..............................5
Soup Supper Pictorial......................................6-7
Residents Travel ‘Here and There’...............8-9
June
1
8
15
19
Table of Contents
Mike Spinelli Former Pastor and presently
with Tabor College
Andy and Carmen Owen, Missionaries in Thailand
Dennis Fast, Pastor at Reedley MB Church
Old Fashioned Hymn Sing, 5:45 p.m.
Living Legacy Donations............................10-11
Krause and Giumarra Awarded..................... 12
On our cover:
Your donations to Living Legacy
are truly appreciated!
Father Don Seeks, with Dario Aluisi, a
member of the Immanuel High School
varsity basketball team. Seeks is one of
the Eagles’ biggest basketball supporters!
We offer two easy ways to donate:
Secure online donations
www.palmvillage.com/donations
Mail your check
Palm Village Retirement Community
703 West Herbert Avenue
Reedley, CA 93654
Always be sure to visit our website
EVENTS CALENDAR for other activities:
www.palmvillage.com/calendar
2 •
Palm Villager • April, 2016
The Palm Villager is a publication of Palm Village
Retirement Community, a mission agency sponsored
by the Bethany and Butler Mennonite churches in
Fresno and by the Mennonite Brethren churches of
Dinuba, Kingsburg and Reedley.
(559) 638-6933 • www.palmvillage.com
President and CEO, David K. Reimer
Director of Marketing, Jim Dueck
COA 170 Lic. #100404809
We do Business in Accordance with the
Federal Fair Housing Law
Cover story
SoaringWith Eagles
Father Don Seeks:
The Immanuel High
School girls
basketball team’s
#1 Fan
T
he dynamics
of living at Palm Village are as different as the people
who create them. When you talk with Father
Don Seeks, a patio home resident, it quickly
becomes apparent why he is known as the #1 fan
of the girls basketball team at Immanuel High
School. And it is no surprise that at age 86, he is
still preaching at a Visalia Church and teaching
bible studies at Palm Village.
His varied education has allowed him to
experience employment situations that might
have been considered life careers by others. But
for him, they were
just a part of a very
interesting life, until he made a
final career choice and was ordained an Anglican
Priest in the Los Angeles Diocese.
As a member of the US Air Force from 19471952, remaining in the reserve ranks until 1957,
his specialty was Air Traffic Control. He tells the
story that when he was stationed at Castle Air
Force Base, a B-29 that blew its tires on the left
after landing and veered off the runway toward
the radar unit. When he opened the door of the
unit, he found its wing almost in his face.
• 3
In 1954, he started his career in broadcast television initially as an engineer, then as a
technical director and finally as a senior video
engineer from 1956-1977. Among his assignments as an employee of ABC-TV, Hollywood,
were many sports events, the broadcast of four
national political conventions, the Nixon/Kennedy Debate and the 1976 Olympics.
Broadcast of the Lawrence Welk program,
as well as the soap opera, General Hospital was
also among his duties. And over the 21 years in
that didn’t stop from having an interest in the
IHS girls basketball team and for him, it is
pure fun. He tries to at least attend their home
games and for his support, the girls teams have
“adopted” him as their #1 fan. The team even
visited him in his Patio Home recently when
he was recovering from an illness. Other Palm
Village residents often join in the fun of being
Immanuel High School sports fans.
He and his wife moved to a Palm Village
Patio home in 2011. Due to health conditions,
CATCHING THE SPIRIT
OF THE EAGLES!
The Immanuel High School Eagles Girls
basketball team pays a visit to Father Don
Seeks in his Palm Village Patio Home.
Shown (front row, L-R) Grace Goertzen,
Zoe March and Brooke Gonzalves
(back row L-R) Head Coach James Stevens,
Hannah Baptista, Amanda Scheidt, Ava
Galpin, Father Seeks, Krystal Gutierrez
and Sophia March.
the industry, guests such as Bing Crosby, Frank
Sinatra, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Judy Garland
came into the studios.
However, during that time in the broadcast
industry he was also pursuing his education
for priesthood until 11 years later when he was
ordained in 1972. He served his calling until
1998 when he retired from his final position
as Archdeacon in the diocese of San Joaquin,
Fresno. He did continue to assist in several
other congregations and still does so at St.
Paul’s in Visalia.
Father Don became interested in Immanuel
basketball when his grandson played there in
2007. He doesn’t have granddaughters, but
4 •
his wife now lives in Assisted Living. The move
came after his wife had a stroke three years ago.
Father Don compliments the staff as offering
“very helpful care” and is pleased that he is just
a five-minute walk from his wife’s suite.
Father Don has certainly led a very full life
and yet he gave the very same answer heard
from every Palm Village resident who has been
asked the question, “What would you tell those
who are considering moving to Palm Village?”
“Move sooner rather than later,” he says.
And when they do, it’s a good probability that Father Don will help them to become Immanuel High School sports fans.
Valentine’s Day
Sweethearts
Palm Village residents enjoyed
celebrating Valentine’s Day!
Lucille and Ken Barnett, married 63 years
s
Johnnie and Adena Goertzen,
married 66 years
s
Henry and Erica Dick, married 69 years
s
• 5
Immanuel High School students (above left) helped to serve food, and provided a few laughs. Also smiling at the annual
Palm Village event were Vernon and JoElla Reimer.
Soup
Supper
Every year residents and friends
enjoy the fellowship of Soup
Supper and the news from the
Annual Meeting that follows.
Palm Village residents Gloria Thiesen and Barbara Miller (above left) enjoy some friendly conversation. At right, Betty
Kelly looks happy to be at Soup Supper as she picks up her soup, while her daughter Karen Cooper looks on.
6•
(Top left) Soup Supper was a time
for residents and friends to converse.
(Above) Carole Hirakawa and
Lou McMullen spent some quality
time chatting and enjoying a bowl
of soup.
(Left) Immanuel High School student
Rebecca Myers serves Grace
Reimer. Myers was one of many
IHS students who learned valuable
lessons about community service by
volunteering at Soup Supper.
• 7
y
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rs
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S
s
’
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Palm
e
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gs and campus activities!
Residents enjoy great outin
A lot is going on at Palm Village!
(Above) Palm Village residents gather for “Crazy
Hat Day,” with (L to R) Verna Roberts, Verona
Neufeld, Karon Meyer, Grace Thiesen, Marilyn
Chappell (in the Hershey’s Kiss hat), and Ruth
Kliewer wearing some pretty crazy hats!
(Left) A buffet of sweets brought by residents
welcomed “Sweethearts” as residents celebrated
Valentine’s Day. Love songs from the 1930s and
1940s were performed by Galen and Ruth Snell.
•9
Residents recently toured the
Monterey Bay Aquarium
on a fun outing. Three Palm
Villagers shown on this
page who enjoyed the
trip included Mary Jane
Lepp, Elvira Schmidt
and Carol Wallace.
Palm Village Donors
TRIBUTES FOR ROSE BUHLER
Marvin and Becky Warkentin
R.J. and Marlene Goertzen
Richard and Elaine Wiens
TRIBUTES FOR ALICE CAMP
Golden Farms Express Inc.
Grace Thiessen
John Regier
Ron and Judy Brown
TRIBUTE FOR ANNA DOERKSEN
Dan and Wanda Doerksen
TRIBUTE FOR EDNA EDIGER
Stan and Patricia Ediger
TRIBUTE FOR JOHN EDIGER
Stan and Patricia Ediger
TRIBUTES FOR HERBERT C. JONES
Alfred and Carolyn Ferrari
Betty Kelley
Chris and Debbie Warren
Donald and Evelyn Workman
Elvera Schmidt
Erny and Kathleen Malakoff
Erwina Pangemanan
Gladys Wiebe
Grace Thiessen
Kathy Digiorno
Laura Nickel
Loris Enzminger
Marcella Jones
Michael and Constance Robinson
Ralph and Teresa Raabe III
Renaissance Charitable Foundation
Robert Heinrichs
Sam and Marvis Bergen
Stephen and Joan Ferrari
Vernon and Carmelita Fleck
TRIBUTE FOR WESLEY JOST
Robert Heinrichs
TRIBUTES FOR HERK KLASSEN
Allen and Linda Wiebe
Sam and Marvis Bergen
TRIBUTE FOR MARIAN MILLS
Susan Mills
10 •
Nov 1, 2015 to March 15, 2016
TRIBUTE FOR MARTHA NEUFELD
Stan and Patricia Ediger
TRIBUTE FOR VICTOR NEUFELD
Stan and Patricia Ediger
TRIBUTE FOR ANNA SCHLOENVOGT
Ellen Schloenvogt
TRIBUTES FOR DAVE WALL
Clara Kliewer
Betty Kelley
Donovan and Carol Wall
Gladys Wiebe
Gloria Thiesen
Larry and Karen Jost
Rick and Margie Kuffel
Robert Heinrichs
Verna Richert
Verne and Linda Anderson
TRIBUTES FOR LEONARD WARKENTIN
Betty Kelley
Gladys Wiebe
Gloria Thiesen
Grace Thiessen
Larry and Karen Jost
Laura Nickel
Lee and Lily Willems
Marjorie Guichard
Nancy Klassen
Ruth Ratzlaff
Steve and Kathleen Wiest
TRIBUTES FOR RUBY BAYLESS
George and Carol Isaak
Nancy Mae Ewert
Robert Heinrichs
TRIBUTE FOR NELLIE GILMORE
Gordon and Yvonne Hanson
LIVING LEGACY DONATIONS
Abner and Olene Penner
Albert and LaVerna Pauls
Aldene Vogt
Alvin and Belva Friesen
Alvin and Shirley Suderman
Ann Enns
Ann Heinrichs
Ann Martens
Anna Frantz
Anne Friesen
Anne Klassen
Anne Rempel
Anonymous
Arthur and Beverly Klassen
Barbara Friesen
Barbara Jones
Barbara Miller
Barbara Roberts
Betty Isaak
Betty Kelley
Bill and Darla Scharbach
Bill and Ila McIlvain
Bill and Norma Jantzen
Bob and Marilyn Lewis
Bradley and Charis Pauls
Bruce and Rachel Uyeda
Byron and Juanita Hirata
Calvin and Marjorie Elrich
Carl and Lavina Wohlgemuth
Charles and JoAnn Brandt
Charles and Shirley Barber
Charles Bayless
Cheri Witter
Chet and Irene Pauls
Christopher Holmen
Clara Kliewer
Claudette Reiser
Cornelia Neale
Dale Swinney
Dan and Julie Pimentel
Dan and Shawna Kevorkian
David and Beverly McDannald
David and Evelyn Bartel
David and Sandy Reimer
David Kamada
Delbert and Linda Wiest
Dennis and Brenda Wall
Dennis and Connie Fast
Dennis and Elizabeth Warkentin
Dennis and Julia Langhofer
Dinuba Mennonite Brethren Church
Don and Lydia Beckenhauer
Don and Sharon Klassen
Donald and Carol Seeks
Donald and Marie Faul
Donald and Mary MacNeill
Donald and Ruth Pauls
Dora Morrelli
Doris Fleishauer
Palm Village Donors
Dovetail Remodeling
Dwight and Verna Roberts
Eddie and Verona Neufeld
Edward and Shirley Gonsalves
Ellen Janzen
Elmer Friesen
Elvera Schmidt
Erma Ratzlaff
Ernest F. and Ruby Grunau
Ethel Klassen
Frances Dick
Frances Unruh
Frank and Margaret Duerksen
Franklin and Judith Janzen
Fusako Fukushima
Galen and Ruth Snell
Garth and Tamara Schmidt
Gary and Lois Hull
Gary Unruh
George and Lillian Isaak
Gerald Avants
Gerry and Carol Thiesen
Ginger Bull
Gladys Wiebe
Gloria Thiesen
Grace Thiessen
Harley Buller
Harold Kleinsasser
Harry and Elvina Willems
Helen Harvin
Helen Janzen
Henry and Adeline Pauls
Henry and Erica Dick
Herald and Phyllis Kliewer
Herbert and Ella Penner
Howard and Penny Ayers
Hymann and Virginia Wood
Irvin and Kathryn Jantzen
Jack Hiebert
James and Elaine Henderson
James and Nadine Barnes
Jeanette Byl
Jerri Toews
Jesus Tapia
Jim and Benti Dueck
Jim and Donna Enns
Jim and Mary Gaede
Jim Brandt
Joel and Judith Isaak
John and Esther Berg
John and Evelyn Schlesselman
John and Harriet Friesen
John and Lois Divelbiss
Nov 1, 2015 to March 15, 2016
John and Lori George
John and Marian Smith
John and Marilyn Lehrman
Jonie Peters
Joyce Warkentin
Judy Johnson
Justina Glanzer
Karen Cooper
Karl and Thelma Hostetter
Ken and Carol Reimer
Kenneth Enns
Kenneth Neufeld
Kent Davis
Kingsburg Mennonite Brethren Church
Larry and Beverly Christman
Laura Nickel
Laurinda Salvador
Lawanda Franz
Leanne Martens
Leo Balakian
Leo Don and Ruth Harms
Leonard Warkentin
Leroy and Vivian Swiney
Liz Oliver
Lloyd and Denise Derksen
Lois Buhler
Lois Pauls
Lois Rosenfeld
Loree Jost
Louis and Betty Elrich
Louise Bernsen
Lu Klassen
Luella McCombs
Luella Unruh
Lyndon and Patti Heinrichs
Malinda Koop
Marc and Penni Johnson
Marcella Jones
Marjorie Guichard
Marlow and Rachel Ens
Marvin and Becky Warkentin
Marvin and Marciel Regier
Marvin and Mary Ellen Friesen
Marvin and Sharon Krause
Mary and Janet Thiesen
Mary Jane Lepp
Melvin Pauls
Menno and Jane Harms
Michael and Cindy Schuil
Micheal and Florence LaRue
Mike and Joan Jensen
Mike and Teresa Enns
Nancy Klassen
Norma and John Loewen
Orletha Obermann
Orpha Klassen
Pacific District Conference of MB Churches
Peer Services Inc.
Priscilla and Steven Rockett
Rae and Marj Saltzman
Reed and Diane Decker
Reedley Lions Club
Reedley Mennonite Brethren Church
Rene and Jo Dee Azares
Robert and Bernice McGuire
Robert and Gloria Vogt
Robert and Wanda Kroeker
Roland and Lois Reimer
Ron and Norma Froese
Rosalie Carter
Roy and Eldoris Peak
Rubena Ewell
Ryan and Tiffany Exline
Sam and Marvis Bergen
Sarah Leppke
Sarah Peters
SaveMart Supermarkets
Scott and Leeann Friesen
Sharon and Michael Barnett
Sheryl Sawatsky
Stephen Vincent
Steve Hofer
Susan Collin
Suzanne and Dan Harrell
Sylvia Hofer
Thelma Roach
Thomas and Janice Pobst
Timothy and Sharon Friesen
Verna Richert
Verne and Linda Anderson
Vernon and Bertha Pauls
Vernon and JoElla Reimer
Viola Kroeker
Virgil and Nancy Goossen
W. G. Loewen
Walt and Patricia Willems
Walter and Helen Krause
Walter and Mary Ann Heinrichs
Wayne and Sheila Wiebe
William and Grace Reimer
Willowbrook Farms
Yasuko Murase
• 11
P.O. Box 1028
Reedley, CA 93654
Palm Village Retirement Community • (559) 638-6933 • www.palmvillage.com
Giumarra Reedley and Helen Krause Win Produce Marketing Award
The Giumarra Companies’ California stone
fruit and citrus division, Giumarra Reedley,
recently met with one of its marketing partners,
Helen Krause, to celebrate the receipt of Produce
Business magazine’s annual “Marketing Excellence Award.”
Palm Village’s Youtube video star, Helen Krause, with
Jeannine Martin and Kellee Harris display the plaque
and trophy that Krause and Giumarra Reedley won recently
from Produce Business Magazine.
Giumarra was one of 17 award recipients from
hundreds of applicants nationwide to win the
2015 Marketing Excellence Award for its “Easy
as Pie” program with Mrs. Krause promoting
Nature’s Partner plums. The award is given annually by trade publication Produce Business to
the best marketing programs created and executed by fresh produce organizations.
The plum promotion was implemented in partnership with Mrs. Krause and revolved around
her famous plum pie recipe, which was featured
on Nature’s Partner packaging, merchandising, and in a YouTube™ video showcasing Mrs.
Krause making the pie in her kitchen.
Mrs. Krause is a retired stone fruit grower from
Reedley, and resides at Palm Village with her
husband, Walter, whom she has been married
to for 71 years. Her son, Jim Krause, is a variety
specialist with the Giumarra Companies.
To view Mrs. Krause’s “Easy as Pie” video,
please search “Helen Krause Plum Pie video” or
visit: www.tinyurl.com/helenkrause.