How We Impact Lives

Meet Gertie

Gertie Lights Up the Room

Early in her career, a mentor said something to Gertie that has stayed with her her whole life, “Smile, because when you smile, somebody smiles back at you.”  When you meet Gertie, you know immediately that she took that advice to heart.

Smiles and Supportive Care

Gertie says her friends at Total Longterm Care make her smile whenever she’s there.  She receives all of her medical care at the Cody Center, but values the opportunity to socialize with her friends most of all.  The day center provides a wonderful opportunity for her to share stories and her paintings, and to be involved in the many activities at the center rather than staying home alone. 

Accomplished Artist & Performer

Gertie is a multi-talented artist.  She enjoys being involved in the Memories in the Making art program where she creates beautiful paintings.  She has been a featured artist in the Alzheimer’s Association Memories in the Making Art Show and Auction for the past several years.  Her featured painting in 2008 was auctioned for $400.

When she doesn’t create visual art, Gertie is also a performer.  She was a soloist with the school orchestra in both junior high and high school.  She’s a high soprano and remembers performing at the school dances every Friday night.  When she’s at the day center, she often sings along with visiting performers or just breaks into song to entertain and engage her friends.

In high school, Gertie also fell in love with acting.  Her first role was as Essie the ballet dancer in You Can’t Take it with You at the Schubert Theater in Birmingham, Michigan.  Little did she know that on stage, she would be dancing past her future husband, Jim, who played an FBI agent in the production. 

After graduating from the University of Detroit, where she majored in interior design, Gertie and Jim were reunited on a blind date and fell in love.  They were married soon after.

Guest Vocalist With the Four Freshmen

Jimmy loved music as much as Gertie did and they both loved to dance.  One evening, they saw the Four Freshmen perform in downtown Detroit.  Stan Kenton was also on stage that night and during the performance announced that his singer was sick and wouldn’t be able to perform during the show.  Somehow, Gertie caught his eye – she thinks it was the beautiful evening gown she was wearing which she had purchased especially to go out that night with Jimmy – and Stan Kenton brought her up on stage.  She sang with the group for two nights.

While it’s not quite a professional stage, Gertie has made TLC a showcase for her many talents – painting, singing, dancing and entertaining her friends.  She lights up the room at the Cody Center as she reminisces and shares her art.

And you can’t help smiling back.