Ornaments capture life's memories

Jeannette Spaulding, 87, lives in small quarters at Wel-Life assisted living, but she decorates large for the holidays — including a moose that drew a lot of residents to her apartment for a look.

“I got a kick out of how the word got around about the my moose,” she said.

Spaulding credits her daughter Lea and son-in-law Mick Herndon with decking out her space. Mick made the now famous wooden moose with endearing eyes and placed it just outside her window.

The couple drove in from Thompson Falls armed with dozens of ceramic Santas, reindeer, angels and a little Christmas tree bearing a lifetime of memories reflected in the unique decorations.

“All the ornaments were made by me, my family or friends,” Spaulding said.

The collection includes glistening figures constructed from beads by her 82-year-old sister Verna Mascari, her own crocheted angels and the ceramic Santa Claus figures made by Lea.

One little red ball with delicate hand-tatting remains particularly dear to her. It was made by her daughter’s late mother-in-law when she was in her late 90s.

“She was totally blind but boy could she tat,” Spaulding said.

Another peeling and fading little pink glass ball takes her back to her childhood growing up in upstate New York. She said it used to have her name — then Jeannette Diable — carefully printed by her mother.

“That must be at least 80 years old,” she said. “They would bring a tree to school and the kids would bring a bulb to decorate it.”

Spaulding’s decoration collection continued to grow after marrying her husband Willard “Bill” in 1942. The two left New York in 1955 for California where he realized his ambition to work for the post office in Chula Vista.

While raising Lea and her other daughter Shelly, Spaulding went all out decking the home for Christmas. Her holiday enthusiasm didn’t diminish after the daughters grew up. She recalls how she and her late husband would leave the tree up as long as possible after the big day.

Spaulding said her daughters also love Christmas and passed that along to their children. She pointed out a handmade ornament with her grandson’s picture as a boy and a very special pair of figures that depict “mamma kissing Santa Claus.”

“My grandson saw that and he bought it for grandpa and I because he said we’re always kissing each other,” she said with a smile.

The two were married for 65 years. Spaulding lists her husband as among the top three decisions she made in her life.

“I never smoked, I never drank and I married the best fellow in town,” she said.

When their health declined, the couple moved to Thompson Falls in 2000 to be close to Lea. After Bill died, Spaulding lived for a while in Thompson Falls but eventually moved to Kalispell in 2008 to join the Wel-Life community of seniors.

The move helped her heal from the loss and loneliness after losing her spouse.

“The staff is wonderful — the young and the old,” she said. “We have really good meals.”

Spaulding enjoys socializing with the other residents. At Christmas, she said the home had non-stop entertainment, including a group of kindergartners who sang, then presented the residents with handmade decorations.

She received a felt mouse from a little boy.

“I said “You should keep that’ but he said ‘No I made this for you,’” Spaulding said. “It had a note that said ‘From one friend to another.’”

She added that special memory to the others that come out each Christmas until Lea and Mick return to carefully pack away another holiday to remember. She and the other residents appreciated the couple’s work that made Christmas 2009 a little more special at Wel-Life.

“They’re so good to me,” she said. “I’m very fortunate.”