The Mitchell County Press-News announces - Thursday, March 2, 1967 - Faith Home's first four residents were admitted yesterday morning. Louise Atherton, Alma Larson, Oliver Maakestad and Margaret Young are first to live in the home which has a capacity of 50 persons. An additional 20 people will join them this week and next to make up the initial group of residents. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the facility is planned for this afternoon, according to the Rev. Norman Hein, administrator of Faith Home. The first four residents and the board of directors will take part in the ceremony. The opening day was postponed from Monday to Wednesday because of a delay in getting approval by the state Fire Marshall. The state license was received along with the fire inspection on Monday. The home is also now officially affiliated with the American Lutheran Church, Hein said. It is operated by a board from Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Osage; St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Toeterville; St. John's Lutheran Church, Rock Township, and Rock Creek Lutheran Church with the cooperation of the protestant churches of Osage.

The dedication of the home is currently being planned for Sunday, May 14, Hein added. The following persons are those who will be moving into the home in the next week: Sophie Morische, Minnie Brandau, Tilda Berge, Clayton Colton, Iver Tidemanson, Mr. and Mrs. James Miller, Elizabeth Gunderson, Naomi Brugger, Lina Cheney, Louise Fritz, Lillie Olswalk, Francis Hanson, Mr. and Mrs. William May, Mamie Ryner, Esther Brown, Laura Richsmann and Julia Sauer. The staff of Faith Home has been preparing for the opening of the home here yesterday, when the first patients were admitted. The Rev. Norman Hein, administrator, announced this week that 24 patients will be admitted next week. The employees of Faith Home are presently receiving training in their particular areas of work.

There will also be additional in-service training after the home is opened. Employees of the home include Mrs. Lucy McCauley, R.N.; Mrs. Jean Hein, R.N.; Mrs. Betty Folkers, R.N.; Mrs. Gerry Olson, aide; Mrs. Irma Adams, aide; Rev. Norman Hein, administrator; Mrs. Ada Kuehl, accountant; Mrs. Mae Squier, cook; Mrs. Geraldine Bodensteiner, aide; Mrs. Vivian Janssen, aide; Mrs. Delores Dodge, secretary, Cathy Flack, aide; Janice Rimrad, assistant cook; Mrs. Wilma Gaarder, aide; Mrs. Ethel Hoven, aide; Mrs. Margaret Rice; aide; Mrs. Gladys Rovang, activities director; Mrs. Evelyn Cheney, cook; Mrs. Ruth Hannam, aide; Mrs. Mary Vulk, aide and housekeeping; Mrs. Esther Mauser, cook; Mrs. Margery Appell, aide; Mrs. Josephine Fuller, aide; Earl Kirchgatter, maintenance; Mrs. Mary Lou Dale, dietitian.

The complex, owned by Mosaic, was sold to Faith Lutheran Home in June, according to Administrator Carla Faught.

The 24-apartment complex, located on Heritage Drive, now fulfills a wish long held by the Faith Lutheran Home Board of Directors, said longtime administrator LaDonna Gunderson, who retired in June.

“We’re serving the whole range” of residents with services, she said. It was ironic that Gunderson – who had long wanted the incorporation of Evergreen into the Faith Lutheran complex – retired on the day the changeover took place.

“It was a pretty emotional day,” she said. Evergreen was established in August 1992 by Martin Luther Homes.

The acquisition of the independent senior living complex, available to those 55 and older, now complements the 50-bed Faith Lutheran Home, a skilled nursing facility that provides care for residents as well as rehabilitation services for citizens; and the 14-apartment Faith Home Assisted Living, which provides services for seniors who require some level of assistance. Faught said efficiencies can be found with ownership of the third operation on the Faith Home campus.

Details of the sale were not disclosed.

As Evergreen is welcomed into the Faith Home family, staff have said goodbye to Gunderson, who served as administrator for 18 years. She came to the home in 1983 working in the dietary department and became office manager in 1986. After getting her degree, she was named administrator in 1996.

While she will miss the work, “it’s the people I’ll miss – residents, staff, the families you get to know,” she said.

She will be busy though. She is the mother of three and the grandmother of four – and she has lots of energy. She and her husband, Jerry, will have lots of family to visit.

“And, I’ll volunteer here, too,” she said with a smile.

Faught, a native of Northwood, came to Faith Home in 2003 and was director of nursing before she considered the role of administrator.

“I actually loved being director of nursing, but I thought, perhaps I could do even more” as a nursing home administrator. She eventually earned her bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista University. She was pleased to be hired back to lead the Faith Home family. She sees the position as an extension of her love of nursing.

“My mom was a single parent and worked as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) for many years; I grew up around nursing homes,” she said. “I think that’s why I really wanted to help people.”

She hopes to continue providing education to the community about services offered. Some continue to be surprised to learn that nursing homes are also short-term care facilities, she said. Faith Home often serves those recovering from operations, for instance, and for those who require rehabilitation services. It is not unusual for someone to stay at the home for a month, receive the rehabilitation services, and then return home, she said.

She and her husband, Randall, have three children, Zachary, 23; Thomas, 18; and Harley, 12.