The Willows Newsletter

Tucked off a country road in a rustic part of near-by Modjeska Canyon, Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary is a favorite habitat for several species of birds. The Bird Porch is a favorite seated observation point -- complete with bird feeders. There, you can enjoy the wide-range of birds who gather directly in front of the porch. The one-hour walking tour (optional) includes a level, sidewalk hike through local plant and animal habitat during which you can learn about plants and animals native to the area. Benches and handrails are provided.

Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, a 12-acre, non-profit nature preserve, is owned and operated for public use by Cal State, Fullerton, and its College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. With the Modjeska Creek running through the preserve, Tucker's facilities include a 1000 square-foot museum, restrooms, a small gift shop, a small amphitheater, caretaker's house, 2 ponds, and a relaxing picnic area in the shade of a large native oak tree. For additional information about this quaint area, visit their website "tuckerwildlife.org".

Our Off-Campus Committee has made arrangements for residents and friends of The Willows to visit Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary on Thursday, April 15. The bus will leave the Administration Building at 10 a.m. There is no admission to the preserve; however, if you wish to participate in the tour, a $6 fee is requested by Tucker. Ten Willows' participants will be required for this tour. Augie, The Willows' head chef, will again provide a box lunch for each participant. Total costs and reservation dates will be announced soon. Call Jackie Alexander for more information about this activity (206-0949).

In September, Dr. Richard Trueman, our newly-elected President of the Residents’ Association, will have lived at the Willows for five years. He and his wife moved here from the San Luis Obispo area. Unfortunately, she passed on unexpectedly soon after their arrival. Subsequently, Dick met Anna Marie Zeitlmann, and in July, they will have been married four years. Between them, they have 3 sons, 3 daughters, and 8 grandchildren!

Dick was born and raised in Chicago. During World War II, he joined the Navy and became an Aviation Electronic Technician. After the war, he received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Northwestern University. He later received a fellowship from Stanford, where he completed his M.S. in Electrical Engineering. Among other positions held, he worked at JPL (the CalTech Jet Propulsion Laboratory) and IBM. While working at Hughes Aircraft, he completed his PhD. in Engineering at USC. He then taught at Cal State Northridge for 15 years, retiring in 1983.

Dick has been active in branch churches in Woodland Hills and San Luis Obispo, serving as First Reader, Second Reader, and Treasurer at different times.

Dick is a member of the Mac club, the local MacIntosh computer users’ group.On Friday mornings, he is a tutor in the Senior Center Drivers’ Resource Center. The Truemans are music lovers and attend a variety of local musical performances.

Dick is also a sports fan and particularly enjoys watching pro basketball, baseball, and tennis. He chairs the Quarterly Residents’ Association meetings, as well as monthly Resident Board meetings. His presidency also includes updating the Willows Foundation Board on current resident activities at the Willows.

We appreciate Dick’s willingness to serve our Willows community!

Jane Morton

On Thursday, April 22, The Willows Residents’ Association will welcome back fabulous photographer Lin Craft of Fallbrook, CA, for a 4:00 pm presentation on “Diving in the Sulu Sea of the Philippines.” The Sulu Sea is a large sea in the southwestern area of the Philippines. It is separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan, and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Lin will share images made on several trips to this remarkable area.

Lin has been active in photography clubs at all levels of expertise since 1987. A regular judge at photographic competitions, she has been honored as a Fellow of the Southern California Association of Camera Clubs of which she has twice served as President. She holds a Master of Science degree in Marine Biology and works full time for an environmental consulting firm.

Lin’s photographic images are also available as custom fine art and as greeting cards.

Betty Everett

Chuck, as he is known among his Christian Science friends, had a brilliant career in higher education becoming an associate Vice Chancellor of the California State University system. Previously, he served as the Dean of Admissions and Records at Cal State Northridge. It all started in Kansas at Emporia State University where he received his Bachelor’s degree in history and education. He came to California and UCLA to do his doctoral work.

Teaching kids is a complicated business from kindergarten to the Doctoral level. Chuck’s work included special projects and trouble shooting along with general responsibilities for the university system. He had extensive involvement with statewide public policy issues entailing work with the legislature, Governor’s Office, and other members of the state educational community.

Since he retired in 2001, he has worked with volunteer management, consulting with The Executive Service Corps, which works with non-profit organizations. He has been president of the Broadview board for seven years and has had about 20 articles published in Christian Science periodicals.

Betty Everett

In the building that houses the Study Center/Book Nook, Art Center and train set, there is a loom. While it belongs to me, it is for everyone’s use who wants to weave.

I set up the loom with cotton thread that is cream and gold with a touch of blue. It is appropriate for making lightweight place mats, a table runner, a square piece of cloth to put in the middle of a small table, or even something to cover the arms or back of a chair. If you only wanted to weave a little bit, you could make a bookmark. There are lots of possibilities.

If you would like to try your hand at weaving, please call me at 586-4743, put a note in my box (218) or email harrismarsha45@yahoo.com, so that a time may be set up for instruction and assistance. There is no charge for the weaving instruction or assistance, or materials--whatever you make is yours to take home and use.

I look forward to helping anyone learn the weaving process. All are welcome. Don’t hesitate, just come on over and enjoy this new activity.

Marsha Harris

Many thanks to Marsha Harris for refurbishing of the Willows Program Committee Donation Boxes. Gone are the silk flowers! The boxes are now woven with beautiful colors. They are not to be missed, and they welcome your donations!

When we think of painting masterpieces, we are most acquainted with European art of the Dutch Masters, the Italian and French Renaissance, the Impressionists of the late 19th century and 20th century modernist movements across the Continent. Most of us know precious little of American masterworks from the 18th century, pre-Revolutionary period through the age of Winslow Homer before the First World War.

A new video lecture series on the masterworks of American art debuts on Thursday, beginning April 8 in Hodges Hall at 4:00 pm., and continues on selected Thursdays.The course of twenty-four 30-minute lectures progresses chronologically to lend a feeling for the advancements America was enjoying during significantly vibrant eras of American masterworks. The lecturer is William Kloss of the Smithsonian Institution.

Kloss will take us from the early portraits of well-known American families to landscapes of the Western movement and the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. We’ll see the gradual development of an indigenous style of painting and away from the European influences of subject matter and academic principles. Names such as Gilbert Stuart, John Singer Sargent, Thomas Cole, and Thomas Eakins are linked to important periods in American political and social history. Each painting shown is placed in the context of its social surroundings.

Erwin Cornelius