Lexington, KY - Dozens of friends and family members gathered at the residence of Sally Deen in the Arcadia Park neighborhood to celebrate her 105th birthday in July, and to commemorate the installation of a memorial garden in her backyard.
The memorial garden, in honor of Deen's daughter, Bettye Stull, who passed away last year at the age of 79, was made possible through a partnership between the Lexington Comfort Keepers office, a home-care agency, and Second Wind Dreams, a nation-wide non-profit program that "grants dreams" to individuals in elder care. Prior to her death, Stull had worked with Comfort Keepers.
The garden came to fruition through the donation of time, services and goods from businesses such as Exotic Aquatics, The Pond Store and King's Garden Center - it includes a water feature, as well as new landscaping features and plants. Bonnie Pozefsky, an employee with Comfort Keepers, says the Second Wind Dreams program relies heavily on community support, and can be inspirational to those in the elderly community.
"Just because you're old, it doesn't mean you can't dream," Pozefsky said.
Looking out at her new garden on her birthday last month, Deen was emotionally moved by the strong showing of volunteer efforts and the remembrance of her daughter. "I'm thrilled, I'm really thrilled with it," Deen said. "Bettye would have loved this."
Born in Grant County in 1906, Utha Leola "Sally" Deen (nee Blackburn) moved to Lexington to attend classes at the University of Kentucky with the hopes of becoming a teacher. She married her husband, the late Encil Deen (1896 - 1990), in 1926; Encil was responsible for her nickname, Sally. The couple had their stone home built on Arcadia Park in the early 30s, and Deen has lived there ever since.
"When I tell people that, they think it must be a log cabin," she said.
Along with being the first president of the Central Baptist Hospital Auxiliary, Deen was a dedicated Sunday school teacher for more than half a century at Anchor Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Church.
Deen's advice for attaining a long and healthy life? Living each day for Jesus Christ, and waking up each morning with an agenda for the day.
"I've still got stuff I need to do when I wake up in the morning," Deen said. "I don't think I'll ever get it all done."
Individuals or businesses in the community interested in helping Comfort Keepers make another Second Wind Dreams project a reality can contact Bonnie Pozefsky at (859) 224-1124.