For many residents at The Terraces at Bonita Springs, children and grandchildren live in other parts of the country. With Father’s Day approaching, we learn that distance does not prevent these dedicated Dads from nurturing relationships with their families and delighting in their cherished memories. Here are a few heartwarming stories three Dads of The Terraces have shared with us:
A Birthday Surprise
Mike Lyons lights up when he describes his and Kathie’s three adult children, two boys and a girl, who make their homes in Columbus OH, Portland ME, and Denver CO. Eight grandchildren complete his posse, seven boys and one granddaughter. Both Mike and Kathie beam with pride when they describe their grandchildren’s extraordinary accomplishments which include one who works in China for a company that develops game apps for smart phones, converting them to English from Chinese, another who flies C17 cargo planes in the Air Force, a doctor of physical therapy, a doctor of pharmacy working on a transplant team, and one who is a marketing vice president of an industrial supply company and yet another who works at Amazon in Seattle. Finally they also have two high school aged grandsons trying to figure out which of their cousins they should follow in their career choices.
The Lyons recount a special family memory that took place just this past April on the occasion of Kathie’s surprise 80th birthday. Unbeknownst to her, Mike along with his daughter and daughter-in-law orchestrated a weekend-long birthday celebration in Denver. Except for their one grandson working in China, the entire family came together for a series of fun events – an elegant dinner, game night at TopGolf, and a big party with friends and family at the country club. Kathie was delighted with the birthday surprise, but she and Mike were even happier that the family was all together for her milestone birthday.
Athletic Achievements
For Michael Stollmeyer, Father’s Day brings up thoughts of his second oldest child, John, and his athletic accomplishments. A graduate of Indiana University Bloomington, John was a member of the school’s NCAA Men’s Soccer teams of 1982 and 1983, as well as the 1984 second-place team. He was selected as a second-team All-American in 1982 and 1985 and a third-team All-American in 1984. In 1982, he was the NCAA Defender of the Year. In 1999, he was elected to the Indiana University Hall of Fame.
John played for the U.S. team at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea as well as the U.S. team for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy.
Michael explains his son’s achievements with pride, without mentioning his own athletic wins as an outstanding swimmer – winning 11 gold medals and five silver medals as recently as 2015 at the Pan American Masters Championships and the South American championships in Colombia.
A Double Take
Resident Alan Casey is enthusiastic about sharing stories of his five children (three boys, two girls) and eight grandchildren. He especially enjoys telling the one about he and his wife being 24 and 22 years old respectively as they prepared to be first-time parents. They were totally shocked and surprised at the birth when there was not one, but two boys – fraternal twins! They did not know what to do. To make matters more confusing, the couple had only one bassinet, a beautiful family heirloom. Where should the other baby boy sleep, they wondered. The solution? The bureau drawer! Ultimately, the Caseys figured it all out and went on to have a growing, thriving family.
These are but a few of warm and wonderful stories from the Dads of The Terraces in celebration of Father’s Day. For all the residents of The Terraces who are fathers, grandfathers, father figures, uncles, and mentors, we wish you a Happy Father’s Day!
About The Terraces at Bonita Springs
Recreation, special events, holiday celebrations, educational programs, guest speakers, and a variety of inspiring activities take place throughout the year at The Terraces at Bonita Springs as part of the community’s active lifestyle programs. The Terraces is the only LifePlan Community for senior living in the Bonita Springs area. Living choices include independent living, assisted living, memory support, skilled nursing and rehabilitation. All levels of care, including assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory support are open for direct admittance, with no entrance fee.
For more information, visit click here or call 239.221.8907.
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