This posting is a continuation of my blog series, Knowing Your Fellow Residents, I initiated last year. The most recent one I wrote was a short biography of Jay Pollack. This time it is John and Carol Larimore. I was assigned to be John and Carol Greeter about 2 months ago.
Here's my expected role of the Greeter! Greeters’ role is to simply help the new resident adjust to their new life at THD. Be a point of contact for them should they need help with dining, transportation, activities, or navigating the THD property.
- Invite them to a lunch/dinner or breakfast.
- Invite them to THD social events or excursions.
- Introduce them to other residents and hopefully new friendships develop organically.
Overall, the role of the greeter is just being friendly, welcoming, and supportive!
Here's John Short Biography:
John was born on June 29, 1950, in San Francisco. Cailfornia. He has a twin brother, Stephen. The family's first home was on Lombard Street in that city, on a portion that to this day is famous as a tourist attraction because it winds up a steep hill and is very picturesque. The family moved to Berkeley when John and Stephen were 9 months old. They would often return to San Francisco to visit relatives and to take out-of-town guests on sightseeing trips. From time to time, John's parents would drive on Lombard Street, and John was amazed as a small child, asking his parents why so many people came to visit their old house!
John attended the Berkeley public schools as well as UC Berkeley, graduating with a degree in History. He has loved history his whole life and brought that love to the middle school and high school classroom, where he taught American and world history for several years.
Teaching was but one of John's numerous careers. During his professional life, in addition to teaching, John has worked as a law clerk, attorney, college financial aid director, paralegal, and, for the last 16 years prior to retirement in 2012, as customer service and public inquiry specialist for the Social Security Critical Case and Public Affairs Office in Richmond, California. He found this job highly rewarding, as it afforded him the opportunity to communicate both orally and in writing, to make public presentations, to recruit, and even to sing, act, and play the piano for special events.
In addition to history and various forms of music, John loves to speak extemporaneously in public, when he has the opportunity, reading, especially reading aloud, the arts, fine dining, storytelling, and becoming acquainted with cultures from around the world.
John remained single until his late 40's meeting his future wife Carol through a mutual friend at church. John and Carol are soulmates, having been happily married for 25 years. They bring their love to THD, where they have resided for the past 2 months.
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Here's Carol Short Biography:
Carol was born December 24,1942 in Waterbury, Connecticut. She is proud of her Irish roots, her mother being 100% Irish and her father 3/4 Irish. Carol got her name from a nurse in her mother's post-natal room. Carol's mom, thinking that she would have a boy, was dismayed when she was told that she had given birth to a girl. She lamented that she didn't know what to name her daughter, to which the nurse responded, "she's your Christmas Carol!" What an apt name for her, because Carol has been a songbird her whole life!
Carol was an elementary school teacher prior to marrying her first husband, Lyle Eberle, at the age of 22. She is the mother of 4 children,12 grandchildren, and 1 great-granddaughter, to whom she is devoted. In raising her children, Carol's guiding principle was to foster, as much as she possible could, their individual talents, interests, and abilities.
Carol herself is a woman of many and varied talents. She is an accomplished artist, singer, pianist, composer, cook, hostess, and storyteller. One of her proudest achievements was to develop and teach a program for primary school children, through song, storytelling, and personal sharing, in character development and self-esteem. Prior to her retirement in 2010, Carol taught her program for 30 years in schools from Santa Rosa to San Jose, California.
Carol met her current husband John through a mutual friend at the church they both attend.
They have been happily married for nearly 25 years, and are delighted to have been here as a part of the THD community for the past two months.
Here are some of Carol's art work displayed in their apartment here at THD.
Again, Welcome John and Carol to the THD community!
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