Meet Our Residents & Staff
Bruce Brusseau is a recent arrival at La Costa Glen in our Oak Grove building. As a widower he, of course, mentions missing the companionship of his lovely wife. Bruce insists that “the friendship he experiences with the other La Costa Glen residents is the ‘next best thing’ to the companionship he enjoyed with his wife. One of the finest assets of this retirement life is the affiliation with the many fine people who live here.”
- By Marian Goe -
Stepping into Alison Royle's apartment, I was dazed. Photographs of her African friends had mesmerized me with their beauty.
Alison was born in La Jolla and attended Bishop's School. After graduating from UC Berkeley, she married and worked in her husband's dental office as an office manager and dental assistant. Adventurous and eager to help others, their first trip was to the Amazon jungle to do dental work in native villages. For years they served with the Flying Samaritans in Baja, California. After retirement they continued traveling and it was on a trip to Mexico that...
- By Marian Goe -
Does this lady look familiar to you? Well, it might be that you remember her as a server in our dining room a few years back. She is now using her talent and skills as a member of the Activities team at our Health Center. She comes to us with a broad background as a caregiver for 15 years in nursing homes both in the Utah and Nevada areas, She speaks lovingly of her mother who made daily visits to the sick and needy who needed a hug and a bit of encouragement. Diana felt...
- By Eleanor Seidenglanz -
Fran Swenson is a welcomed member of our community. After her arrival from Florida two years ago, she served as a 3rd Floor Representative for her building. She is a member of the Hospitality Committee, the Health Liaison Committee and serves as the Chairperson of the Activities Committee. Her volunteer work takes her to visiting patients at Hospice and the Skilled Nursing facility.
Fran takes some “time off” to sing with the Glenaires, be a member of the Reader’s Group, and to knit and crochet. She makes pins for residents each season.
Last year Fran was the...
- By Eleanor Seidenglanz -
Lee Scherer was born in Charleston, SC, and raised in Kentucky. He studied at the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in 1942. He was a fighter pilot in WWII. He went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering at Cal. Tech.
In 1952 he transferred from the Navy to the National Aeronautical and Space Administration [NASA] where he worked for 18 years.
While there he directed the unmanned Lunar Orbital Program, which made close-up pictures of the moon’s surface to assist in selecting landing sites for the manned mission to follow.
He became Director of the...
- By Marian Goe -
Among the outstanding employees we have here at La Costa Glen is our night time Supervisor of Environmental Services, David E. Ruiz. David has been an employee since December 2006. Prior to that, he worked in construction for 15 years and had his own video production business for five years.
All through the years he can only remember wanting to be a writer, creating plots and story situations that would fit into fictional novels or movies of some sort or another. Finally he decided that his life’s savings should be used to buy filmmaking equipment so...
- By Jim Raymond -
Ernie and Barbara Bettin have been residents of La Costa Glen since December, 2007, when they became the first residents in their Building. Since that time Ernie has endeavored to stay busy and get involved. Currently he is a member of the Rose and Landscape, Greenhouse, Food and Beverage and Computer Committees. His other activities include tending a garden plot, bible study, volunteering for a tax aid program, LCG golf, and participation in water aerobics (Aquamen and water volleyball). Whew!
Ernie was born and raised on farms near La-Grange, Illinois, and Bloomington, Indiana, where he perhaps...
- By Eleanor Seidenglanz -
Nan Shu is a resident of La Costa Glen. She also owns a home in Rolling Hills, near Los Angeles. Nan is an avid art collector and her collection includes a beautiful display of crystal objects, figurines, and cloisonné, ivory and jade.
Nan is known here for her generosity. When she has a continental breakfast on the Lakeside Terrace, she always brings a large platter of fresh fruit to share. Her doorway always displays artwork appropriate to the season, and there is always
a dish filled with candy on the shelf.
Before her retirement, Nan worked at the...
- By Eleanor Seidenglanz -
Mark Draus is a tall, gracious, well-dressed gentleman who came to the Avalon dining room at LCG in February. He enjoys hiking, is a volunteer at the San Diego Zoo, and is interested in collecting antiques. He has worked in the food service management field for over 20 years and is pleased to have the opportunity of serving here.
Mark was born and raised in Michigan where he attended Oakland Community College, majoring in food management. In 1981 he became the Assistant Manager of the Machus Restaurants in Birmingham, Michigan.
In 1989 he became the Assistant Food...
- By Carole Eibelheuser -
Joan lived through the London Blitz as a young child. She saw the preparations for the bomb shelters and evacuations. Her family was separated for six years. She witnessed the bombings and fires at Coventry.
Finally at home, she took a four-year apprenticeship for window dressing, where she learned many things about furnishings and fabrics. This experience was just right to be employed at Harrods in London. While working at Harrods, she vacationed in Seattle and rode the coastline to San Diego. She fell in love with our country. She started the process to come to...
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