East Rochester NY is just under a mile and a half squared, southeast of Rochester proper, and in close proximity to Fairport, Penfield and Pittsford.

Originally a planned community, with the NY Central running right through town, it was home to the Aeolian Piano Factory, until it moved it’s offices to Memphis in the early 50’s.  Despite being a small community, they are known for their winning sports teams.

Robert Trent Jones, the famous golf course architect once lived there. The spring is glorious, with more lilacs that you can imagine in bloom during their annual  festival in late April. The summers are too short, and the winter, well…

My in-laws met and married there, my husband was born there, and it was the life-long home for Stella Dudinski Vogler, my husband’s grandmother. She lived in the same house on West Filbert Street for almost 60 years.

In the almost 18 years we have been together, Doug and I made the trip up together about a half-dozen times; plus Doug on his own, at least that many times, mostly in the last 8 or 9 years.

 This past April I wrote about he and I surprising her for her 96th birthday, as she was walking into lunch at her assisted living facility.

This past week, after a fall, and an ohsofast decline, we lost Stella.

The hands that made thousands and thousands of cookies for 8 grandchildren, that held and rocked 19 great-grandchildren, but would still beat the  &$!&  out of you in cards  were stilled.

I had often told friends that ‘if you are going to be old, you want to live in East Rochester’, because it seemed to me that for every 70+ resident, there were 3 or 4 younger residents who were more than willing to look out for their neighbors, and I wanted to thank them for helping Stella lead the life she wanted.

Most I will never know, but a few I do. SO-if  you  manage to score a seat for breakfast at Steve’s Place over on Penfield Road (officially in Rochester), tell Steve you know what a great next-door neighbor he was-and congratulate him on his upcoming wedding!

If you know of St. Jerome’s, let Father Frank know you heard about how his sensitivity and compassion united and touched us all.

Even though she never let any of you win at cards, thank you to the staff, and all her companions at the Senior Center.  If you’re visiting anyone over at Maplewood Estates on Ayerault (in Fairport), know they are in a great environment,  and say hi to Priscilla and Bob, the managers. 

And if you know of anyone associated with Highland Hospital in Rochester-well, let them know their kindnesses and professionalism is a comfort that won’t ever be forgotten.