Resident Grace Marchal Altenhofen

Where did you grow up? Grace was born in Washington DC on March 15, 1925 and she grew up in Washington DC /Maryland. She grew up the middle child with 2 sisters and then her Mom had two other children a girl and a boy from another marriage. Grace states that the half sister and half brother are about the same age as her children. Grace attended a one and two room school and graduated from High School.

What are some of your favorite memories from your childhood? Grace states that she remembers when she was a child having a hurricane go through the area that she lived in and after the storm passed she went out and found items belonging to others and she returned the items to their owners and got a nickel for each returned item. She also remembers as a child going crabbing off of a pier with a piece of chicken on the end of a string and putting it in the water and bringing up crabs and they would get a basket full of crabs and would take them home and cook and eat them and she states that she has always loved the taste of crabs.

What are some of your favorite memories from your adulthood? Grace states that one of her favorite memories from her adulthood was later in her life working for a elderly lady who got around in an electric wheelchair who loved to travel and go on cruises and the lady had Grace go with her on the cruise and Grace states that she got to go on a lot of cruises that way to many locations including many Caribbean islands, Alaska, and Hawaii. Another favorite memory is meeting her future husband Eugene Altenhofen when she worked for Red Star East Company on the IBM machines and he worked close by at J C Penny and he put a note on her car asking her to go out with him and first she said no and then she said yes and they dated for 1 year and then married June 5 1958 and they had many wonderful years together. Grace had 2 children 1 girl and 1 boy from a previous marriage. Grace states that she lived her life first in Washington DC / Maryland for 20 years and then Wisconsin for 20 years and then Georgia for 20 years and then Florida for 30 years until she came back to Georgia and Dogwood Forest of Eagles Landing to be close to her daughter and son in law so they could help look after Grace and Gene.

Did you have a profession? Grace states that she had the job working on IBM products for Red Star East for many years but her favorite job was when she was in Florida and provided transportation for Residents in Nursing Home’s and Assisted Living Communities going to doctor appointments and she also taught people how to swim and do water ballet.

Which accomplishments in your life do you feel most proud? Grace stated that she was most proud of driving people to doctor appointments and all of the nice people that she met and going with an elderly lady on all of those cruises and she is also very proud of her daughter and son – in law who have been so good to her and helped take care of her and her husband Gene. Is there anything you’ve learned in life you wish to share with someone who is just graduating college? Grace states “be patient getting a job just out of college because many people have trouble getting that first job and so don’t get upset.”

Is there anything you’ve learned in life you wish to share with someone who is just starting a family? Grace states “make your children mind you and listen to you and love them.”

What brought you to Dogwood Forest? Grace states that she and her husband were living on their own in Florida with her main family support here in the Atlanta area and Grace and her husband were having more health concerns and daughter wanted them close to her so she could help look after them. She states that they were looking for an assisted living facility in Florida and daughter was looking for facilities in the Atlanta area and daughter went to Florida and told Grace she had found a nice place and at the same time Grace’s husband developed health problems and was admitted to a hospital in Florida and so Grace came with her daughter to Georgia and was admitted to Dogwood Forest Assisted Living on her birthday March 15, 2015. Grace seems to have adjusted pretty well to living at Dogwood Forest and eats all of her meals in the dining room and participates in activities as she wants to, mainly morning exercise class and she keeps herself entertained in her room.