by Gary 'Twig' Branch Shades Of Grey GreatLakesChorus.org/SOG

During the summer our Shades of Grey members Gary Branch, Fred Barr, Lynwood Kraft, and Ronald Thomet had talked about visiting our shut-ins, friends around Western Michigan that we have known and sung with for many years. Well, we finally did it! Last November we dropped in on several of these people and we all had a great time.

We met at SOG bass Fred’s house, had coffee and discussed the day. We contacted our shut-in friends and determined the order we would visit them.

We started off with Ray Grutter. Ray sang with our Grand Rapids Great Lakes Chorus for many years. He also sang with the Furniture City Chord Company for over 15 years. He has been laid up with back and leg problems for several years and is tied to an electric cart so not getting out much. We sang a couple of songs for him. He even sang bass with us and we talked over old times. We got there early because we knew that we wouldn’t be able to just sing and go. His wife Judy came in and we had to get a hug and see some family pictures before we left. We left only after promising that we would be back soon.

Next we went to see Bea Phillips. Her husband Don sang with the chorus and in the Golden Oldies quartet with me and in the Gaslighters quartet with Fred, Bud and I. He passed away a few years ago. Bea had problems with sugar and lost both legs above the knee. Being confined to a wheel chair, she is homebound most of the time. We sang to her and she showed off some of her family photos and we reminisced together.

From there we visited Clarice Strong. Her husband Don sang in the chorus for many years. She fell last winter and entered the first stages of Alzimers finding it difficult to walk. Don has since left the chorus and stays home to take care of her. He wasn’t there when we arrived so we serenaded Clarice alone instead. She was so sorry that Don missed us and asked we please come again.

Next on the list was Jack & Jean Schneider. Jack is an active member of our chorus. His wife Jean was diagnosed with brain cancer a couple of months ago. She had just completed the last of the radiation and Chemotherapy. She was lying on the couch when we came in and before long, sat up, asked for her cap to cover her head and smiled, truly enjoying the songs and visit. They will wait a while before having an MRI to see the results of the therapy. They’re planning on visiting their son in Florida this winter.

After a bit of lunch, we visited Alverne Sidor. Alverne had just gotten home from the hospital after a hip replacement. Her husband, Jack had been the bass in our quartet from the beginning and passed away a year ago. She was a Sweet Adeline and I sang with her and Jack in a mixed quartet in Florida, called Mainely Michigan. Since she was really laid up she enjoyed hearing some of our songs she hadn’t heard before. She is looking forward to going to Florida for the winter.

We drove on to Lowell, MI to a rehab center to visit a friend of our tenor Ron and his wife Rose. We found her in a small room alone and we began to sing for her. When we finished the song, a nurse popped in and asked us to hold on. She proceeded to fill the room with other patients and we went on singing for about 40 minutes to everyone’s delight.

The last stop of the day was at Clark Home where we visited Paul Robinson, another veteran of the chorus from several years ago. Paul also was in the early stages of Alzimers. We found him very receptive to us and we sang several songs for him and all of the others that found their way down to his room upon hearing the singing. We took pictures at each stop to record our visit.

This was a filled and very rewarding day in the life of the Shades of Grey and I’m sure that it won’t be the last. What a blessing to be able to bring such joy to our old friends!

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