Fluvia Kerr
Fluvia Kerr (1898-1999) lived at Rose Villa from 1966 to 1999. She was a high school art teacher and writer. Among Kerr’s books in the Rose Villa library is a slim volume called Greener Fields, which includes a short essay about Rose Villa, probably written around 1980. The following is an excerpt from it. Some things change, and others remain the same.
Rose Villa, Circa 1980
Rose Villa is a retirement home for Senior Citizens located on the east bank of the Willamette River. It is unique in several ways. It is not too large. It has 396 residents and 289 apartments. Unlike most retirement homes, all apartments are on the ground level. Rows of long houses contain two to seven apartments with one, two, or three bedrooms. Each apartment has a front door and a back door with a patio.
Around the lounge and main offices are the bank, dining room, kitchen, store, Health Center, and solarium. The nearby Fellowship Building contains the auditorium for general functions, the doctors’ offices, the sewing room, the conference room, and Toyler’s room. The Recreational Building is the only one with two floors for ten apartments above the recreational facilities, including Treasure House, a large game room, two pool rooms, Arts and Crafts Gallery, and a big shop for men.
The grounds are attractive, with well-kept lawns, trees, flowers, and wide walks. Down by the river, the Rose Villa garden is divided into plots that may be used for the asking.
Two hundred people are on the waiting list of seven years for a one-bedroom apartment and twelve for a two-bedroom. Some residents come from the East and South. People who come here have been successful; some have Ph.D. degrees or are in Who’s Who.
There are planned tours, book reviews, games in the evening, concerts, and other entertainment once a week. Vespers on Sunday night and four annual dinners sponsored by the Christian Fellowship.
Willing Workers meet three times a week to sew and make repairs for the Health Center, knit laprobes, make quilts, and many other things for sale in the bazaar. The Toylers dress dolls and make equipment for doll beds. In the shop, men build furniture for residents and make hundreds of wooden toys for hospitals and handicapped children for the firemen to distribute at Christmas. Musicians play for the Health Center. Travelers show slides of far places. Potters create and fire ceramics, and artists paint.
The Treasure House is managed by a most efficient person with many assistants, and funds go to the Rose Villa Foundation. Anyone with a new idea can start a new hobby for fun or culture.
Three doctors, eight nurses, and many aides care for the fifty patients in the Health Center. Rose Villa is a delightful place to retire.
Narrative researched and written by Elliot McIntire.