Sharp family attends gazebo dedication in honor of their parents

Clay Center Presbyterian Manor dedicated its new gazebo in April. It was donated to the community by the Sharp family, in honor of their loved-ones Ernie and Irene Sharp who lived at the community. About 15 members of the family were in attendance for the dedication. Below, Gerald Sharp explains the family’s decision to give back to the Manor one more time.

Ernie and Irene Sharp joined us at Presbyterian Manor in late winter of 2017. They had and made many connections over the years, with both of their mothers living there, siblings and in-laws, friends and cousins. Mom had also spent much time there taking care of flowers on the grounds -- it is what she enjoyed and knew.

When the time was needed, it was their chosen place to be. When dad passed away in 2019, his memorial went to a PA system for the third floor. When mom passed away just one and a half year later, we knew we wanted to do something for the outdoors. We were thinking in terms of landscaping and flowers. In the midst of the conversation something was mentioned about a gazebo.

It was decided her memorial was to go to the flowers.

In the fall of 2022, we ended up with some funds that we thought might go towards the building of a gazebo. Some thoughts and plans were drawn up and an estimate from the lumber yard as to the probable cost of the materials. There was not enough money for any labor.

We were told that someone said they would build it. After several months nothing more happened. At that point we thought of pulling out the whole idea of the project. We were asked what it would take to move forward. We told them "give us permission to build it". Within a week, plans were laid with the help of many relatives to begin the work.

The Gazebo itself was to be a place of hospitality as was our folks' home. It was there that many family gatherings had happened plus others who came in to just be blessed by the hospitality of mom and dad. The gazebo would be that place once again. With the help of many cousins and a grandson and great-grandson of mom and dad, the gazebo came to reality.

‍