Beaumont News March 2024

Shannon Hazell and Jim Zug at the U.S. National Squash Doubles Championship

By Jim Zug

Shannon Hazell is the most recent addition to our drivers here at Beaumont, having joined us last November. Both he and Jim Zug were playing in the U.S. Squash Doubles Championships held at five squash clubs around Philadelphia on the weekend of March 1-3, 2024. Shannon has an illustrious past in racquet sports. Growing up in England, he was the world champion in the sport of rackets for 10 years, traveling all over the world playing the sport. Rackets is a very fast racquet sport, played a lot in England and the former commonwealth countries, but with only eight courts in the U.S., one of which is at the Racquet Club in Philadelphia. Rackets is played on a large indoor court with four walls of hard slate, with racquets and a ball like a golf ball, which flies around the court at high speed and requires quick reflexes, great hand-eye coordination, and excellent racquet work to excel at it. When he was 29, Shannon emigrated to the U.S. and worked as a tennis and squash pro and then as a squash coach until the squash program was cancelled during the pandemic. Since then, he has been a driver, and we are enjoying having him serving our needs here at Beaumont. Shannon is still playing squash in the Philadelphia leagues. And, in another Beaumont connection, he is married to Missy, the daughter of our recently departed resident, Dan Walsh.

At the nationals, Jim Zug bumped into Shannon at lunch at the Cynwyd Club on the final day of the tournament, and this picture was taken of the two of them. Shannon had just lost in the semi-finals of the consolations of his tournament that morning, to the eventual winners. Jim had just won the 80+Nationals. This was Jim’s 25th national U.S. Squash Championship, starting with his win of the Juniors when he was 18, plus all the masters age groups up to the 80+ which he won three years ago. He is the first player in squash

history to span the victory stand from the juniors as youngest nationals to the 80+ as oldest nationals, and since no player has yet come along to start accumulating a similar string, this record may last a while. In doubles, Jim won the National Open twice in all the age groups including now the 80+, two Father/Sons, and a World.

Congratulations to both these Beaumont squash players of renown, and welcome to Beaumont, Shannon. We can also add that Lauren Taylor is an accomplished squash player in our Beaumont community. She played #1 on the varsity at Penn, and her two daughters were top 10 juniors and now play for Yale and Dartmouth.

Shannon Hazell and Jim Zug at the U.S. National Squash Doubles Championship

The Ladies That Lunch

By Bette K. Peterson

Have you ever noticed a group of ladies that have lunch together many days and often have dinner together, too? They are often the last to leave the dining room, and their caring for each other is evident if you walk by the table or stop to talk. They are the ladies from Beaumont’s Personal Care Unit which is located on the second and third floors of the Mansion.

They have all arrived to our Beaumont Personal Care Unit from different backgrounds but have built a wonderful, caring community of support, concern, and connection. Their backgrounds range from “top homemaker and wife,” a 30-year career in the food service division of the Phillies, a chemistry major who has met many of the worlds Nobel Prize science recipients, a top rower of a winning Dragon Boat, a leader of several non-profit Boards, an artist, and the wife of the librarian of the U.S. Congress who has dined at the White House and lived in Russia. Together here at Beaumont they give each other support as they deal with the

In Memoriam

PeTer

January 19, 2024

greTa

February 8, 2024

marleNe DubiN

January 29, 2024

March 8, 2024

February

raymoND

March

susaN

March 19, 2024

Members of the Beaumont Community extend deepest sympathy to their families and friends.

trials and tribulations of aging, both in mind and body, and they all have had their share of losses. As one of them said “we are like college roommates with separate rooms.” Some of them have joined the “Stitch a Bit“ group of residents that meets on the sun porch. They knit lap blankets and scarves for various charities. Their curiosity and interests have not waned, and they attend many of our broad range of activities and music and dance at Beaumont. Just yesterday many of them were in the front row to hear Victoria Wyeth’s lecture “I Paint My Life: A Close Look at the Work of Andrew Wyeth.”

The Personal Care Unit hums along with its own energy as these ladies explore activities and programs each day. Lydia Gemmer, our Director of Personal Care, has developed a close relationship with each one and knows their patterns and likes and dislikes. She has created an environment that allows them to settle in nicely. This environment is very comforting as they go about their daily lives. As one of them said, “We have become a sisterhood.”

From front to back: Mary Lee Straub, Lena Ciurlino, Marjorie Billington on their way to the Grille

Rena Burstein, Lena Ciurlino

Welcome Mike Robinson

By Ann Baruch

Mike Robinson was born and raised in Philadelphia and grew up in a family that loved animals. The household usually included at least a dog and three cats. Especially beloved were Brittany Spaniels, Don and Rusty Butch the cat, and Pinkie the rabbit, who lived to the ripe old age of 13! Mike attended St. Joe’s Prep School and St. Joe’s University. He is a CPA by training and has had an interesting career serving as CFO for several family corporations and working in the mutual fund industry. He is proud to be an Air Force veteran.

The young Mike Robinson pursued Rosemary Coleman for six years because “she was a darling.” Rosemary liked to claim that “He chased me around until I caught him.” Rosemary and Mike had four daughters and one son and all of them live in the Philadelphia area. He adores his twelve grandchildren, who call him “Pop-Pop”. For the last 30 years he has enjoyed an annual outing to the Nutcracker ballet with his five “super” granddaughters. He is proud of his four great grandchildren and is pleased that two of his grandsons have recently become engaged, one to a movie star and the other to a neurologist. According to Mike, the

Welcome Ingo and Brigitte Regier

By Sally Randolph

Ingo Regier rose from the ashes of WWII to a successful career in the international pharmaceutical world. Brigitte Regier left a small town in Southern Germany to become a multilingual world traveler with first-hand expertise in local cultures.

Ingo Regier was born into a Mennonite family of farmers near Danzig/Gdansk (then Germany) in 1942. His mother, with her three sons, not yet 4, 3, and 2, fled their farm just ahead of the advancing Red Army in 1945. In 1944 their father had been killed in battle near Leningrad. First with horses and high wheeled wagons, soon after on foot, they arrived after several months, in the British Zone (northern West Germany). The family survived on their mother’s meager pension, care parcels from America, and the kindness of a Dutch family who took in Ingo and one of his brothers for a year to escape hunger and the symptoms of malnutrition.

Brigitte, born into a Swabian family in Heidenheim, east of Stuttgart, left home to study English and French in Heidelberg. Initially a translator, she moved into market research at Imperial Chemical Industries, ICI Pharma Germany, where she met Ingo. They married in 1980 in Weinheim, where they bought a condo that they still own today.

Following Ingo’s career in Germany, they relocated more than 14 times, living first in Paris, then New York, then Tokyo for eight years where Ingo was head of Revlon’s Health Care

Robinson Family is together “all the time.”

Mike’s beloved Rosemary died 3 years ago and he moved into a Beaumont apartment in November of 2023. Mike loves history and one of the hardest parts of his move was leaving behind his collection of 1500 to 2000 books. He is also saddened that Beaumont frowns on cigar-smoking on the campus! Just before Christmas he had the misfortune of contracting Covid so his early days at Beaumont were difficult. However, he has now connected with several previous friends and acquaintances and finds Beaumont residents very welcoming. Mike enjoys physical activity and reading, and the many programs Beaumont offers. Jack Collett and he share a love of Rum Raisin ice cream, one of Beaumont’s less popular flavors. They hope that more residents will choose it so it will stay on the selection list!

operation in Japan, Korea, and Asia-Pacific. Armed with a fluency in German and English, basic French, some Japanese, a thorough grounding in management education (dual vocational education, Master International Business), Ingo was well suited to occupy top management positions in the international divisions of med-tech and pharmaceutical companies from USA, UK, France, and Japan.

While Ingo built companies, Brigitte attended universities. She immersed herself in the culture wherever they lived, learned the language (and Japanese writing), formed lasting friendships, and through her social relations helped Ingo better understand his employees, partners, and customers.

In 1992, they returned from Tokyo to Radnor where they established their own company, Global Alliances, Inc, an international management consulting firm. Ingo focused on clients from USA, Germany, and Japan to build their business in foreign markets. He also created a series of businesscultural seminars, published several books including “Business Guide USA”. Ingo’s qualifications are based on a first-hand understanding of the impact of cultural differences in doing business in foreign countries. Throughout these years, Brigitte, as CFO, was his partner.

When they returned to Radnor, Brigitte finally stayed long enough in one place to get a graduate degree, a master’s in liberal arts from the University of Pennsylvania. After living in Japan, they looked for “solitude”, which they found at Lake Toxaway, NC, 50 mi south of Asheville. There, they built a beautiful contemporary house, where (seeing black bears daily) they lived happily for 20 years, until last year when Ingo retired and they moved one (?) more time, here, to Beaumont.

Mike Robinson. Photo by Cathy Leahy

Ingo and Brigitte Regier. Photo by Sally Randolph.

Regilding the Beaumont Organ

Photo and Article by Linda Madara

A delight when traveling is to visit churches, cathedrals, and important buildings all of which have organs. Owning an organ was a popular way to show wealth and culture in the early 1900’s. Beaumont is no exception!

When Beaumont was built by William Austin in 1912-13, he had a fine Aeolian organ installed in the library along with his large book collection. He had anticipated one of his five children would take the pleasure in playing the organ that he, as an accomplished musician, had.

Installing such an organ included the bank of decorative organ pipes that visually “set the stage.” None of the pipes lending their beauty to the organ in his library were active. They were for show, ornately decorated and finished in gold leaf.

By the mid-1920’s two Austin daughters had married and moved out of the house and none of his remaining children wanted to learn to play the organ. Mr. Austin died in 1932. At the time of his death, the family finances had been significantly affected by the 1929 crash and even more so by the decline in the use of coal-fired engines built by the Baldwin company. He never anticipated that his organ with its beautifully decorated pipes would become sadly neglected, acutely suffering the resulting issues of changes in temperature, light, and humidity in the library.

The sale of Beaumont, after the last Austin to live there died, enabled the mansion to be re-purposed as a unique retirement community — with the added responsibilities of maintaining its treasures… even derelict ones.

Early energetic and dedicated residents knew the value of the organ and banded together, investing the time and monies needed to repair and return the “poor old organ” to its melodic glory by working on the sound-producing pipes controlled by air flow, which are located behind the organ console or are placed down in the cellar. Work was also done on the decorative pipes on the exterior.

Diligent research uncovered Spencer Organ Company known for its organ pipe restoration. Joseph Rotella, the company’s president, came down from Waltham, MA for a visit to study the job. Don’t waste time! Work should be done with all due

haste to prevent increased issues. The pipes had to be temporarily removed to be properly restored! Measurements were made. In mid-January the Spencer team arrived complete with flat wooden crates designed to safely transport the pipes, with a red felt-lined cradle for each pipe. In a single day the team scaffolded the organ’s facade and ever so carefully took down every pipe, resting it in its numbered, pre-designed space. After the pipes were removed and securely packed, they were taken to The Gilders’ Studio, Inc. in Olney, MD for the preparation and gilding. (See the article that follows for an interview with the person doing the gilding.)

In the past few years, however, it has become painfully clear to residents and the organ tuner alike, that further work is needed and that something had to be done to save and restore the decorative pipes which is the facade and protection of the organ itself. Peeling gold leaf and shoddy, splotchy design features were doing nothing to improve the organ presentation or the majesty of the Music Room.

When the pipes are completed and shine with their new gilding, the Spencer team will bring them back and reinstall them. They will also refinish the woodwork of the organ, finally bringing it back to its original glory. Hats off to all residents who have worked so hard over the years to be sure Beaumont’s Aeolian Organ continues to be an extra special treat to play, hear, and yes, see! The newly refurbished pipes are going to be the Beaumont organ’s crowning glory.

Laying the pipe in its cradle in the case

Workers carrying a pipe to a case

Cases to hold the pipes

An Interview with Michael Framer, Restorer of the Beaumont Unvoiced Organ Pipes

By Richard Lange

The restoration of the Beaumont Aeolian organ soundless pipes was entrusted to The Gilders’ Studio, Inc. in Olney, MD, a globally recognized company with a rich history in exterior and interior gilding, decorative painting, and conservation of painted and gilded sculpture. Founded by Michael Kramer, who also taught gilding techniques at the Smithsonian Institute, the company's expertise is evident in its numerous publications and awards, including the 2023 Craftsmanship Award from Preservation Maryland for the preparation and gilding of the MD Statehouse cupola in Annapolis, MD.

Michael agreed to an interview for the Beaumont News; the following is a transcript of this interview

Gilding is undoubtedly an "off the beaten path" profession. Can you tell us how you or your company became involved in this unique profession?

I painted my way through college in the late 60s and early 70s. For several years, I worked with a master decorator in the D.C. area. He taught me how to gild and decorative painting. After I graduated, I could have become a social worker or joined the painters’union for more than twice the pay. I joined the union. After I had done that for a few years, I branched out on my own in 1975 with a house painting and decorating business. In the early 80s, we started to get so much demand for decorative painting and gilding that I started The Gilder’s Studio in 1985, concentrating on gilding and decorative finishes. Since then, we have worked on unique and challenging projects across the U.S. and overseas. I also taught decorative painting and gilding at the Smithsonian from 1987 to 2008 and still teach for the Society of Gilders.

The "Gilded Age," as MarkTwain called it, was a glamorous time in American History,most likely never to be repeated. The Beaumont organ is a prime example of this period. Do you see your company's work as more historical preservation rather than decorative restoration?

Our work on the pipes I think is historical restoration. We tried to mimic the original patterns and colors down to the smallest detail.

Could you give our readers an outline of the restoration process on the Beaumont organ pipes?

When we received the pipes, we needed to unpack and then survey them, separating different sized pipes with

different stencils. These were all documented in terms of placement and type of stencil, and then we traced the different patterns. The tracings were sent to a company that digitized them and then cut stencils for us using lasers. Each pipe had its own set of stencils, so we did not have to worry about cleaning and re-using stencils. In all, there were 10 different stencils for each pipe and the stencils were also different sizes for different pipes. In all, we had over 18 different stencils cut for the pipes.

The pipes had to be stripped to the zinc, then repaired (there were only three with broken seams), and then primed so we could apply the aluminum leaf, which covers the visual areas of the pipes. After the aluminum leafing, we used a toning glaze in a stippled finish, which we then highlighted by rubbing the glaze off along a two inch strip along the length of the pipe, as was originally done. After that, we sealed the aluminum leaf and glaze with a satin sealer. On top of that, we laid out and applied the stencils to match the originals. We used three different colors of flat oil “Japan” paint, which we mixed to match the original colors, and then applied highlight stencils in 23.75KT gold leaf.

What was the biggest challenge for this project?

The biggest challenge was documenting and recording the patterns, sizes, and placement of the stencils for each pipe and ensuring the stencils were all cut properly. As I said, each pipe had different stencil placements.

What would have happened to pipes in the coming years if we had not restored them?

They would have peeled off to the zinc. The pipes had no primer between the zinc and the original aluminum leafing, and the bond cracked and failed.

Are there any other comments our readers would like to know about the restoration?

This was a very challenging project. We were thrilled to be chosen to do it, as these unvoiced pipes really spoke to us.

Michael Framer

Cornell’s Great Backyard Bird Count – February 16 and 17

By Jane Ruffin

Every year the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society have a winter weekend count of birds visiting feeders. The idea is to get people to spend time in their favorite places watching and counting as many birds as they can find and reporting them to Cornell. These observations help scientists better understand global bird populations before one of their annual migrations.

This year Beaumont had a practice count. Twelve residents participated in the count and saw a total of 21 species of birds This includes Mallards on the pond and Crows in the courtyard. (They do not come to feeders, but it makes an interesting record.)

Everyone was asked to watch their feeder for 15 minutes on the 16th or 17th. Some of us saw only one or two birds. Although this was disappointing, it was not a competition, and everyone enjoyed the activity so we are hoping that next year we may be part of the Cornell project.

The most numerous visitors to feeders were Goldfinches, Juncos, House Finches, and Cardinals.

According to Cornell “An estimated half a million people participated during the 2023 GBBC.” They reported more than 7,500 bird species from 200+ countries.

House Sparrow

Downy Woodpecker

Cardinal

Goldfinches at Page Gowan’s multi-tube feeder with 10 additional Goldfinches waiting their turn. Photo by Page Gowan.

Goldfinch, male

Junco

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Goldfinch, female

Profile of New Beaumont Resident, Marjorie Anne Billington

By her daughter, Susan Harper of Villanova

Marjorie Billington moved to Beaumont in July 2023 after having been a “future resident” (along with my father) for many years. The move came at the right time for Mom, and she is delighted to be at Beaumont.

Like so many residents here, Mom’s life has been packed with travel and adventure. Born in New York City, raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Mom graduated from Tower Hill School and the University of Delaware before marrying a Philadelphia man, James Billington.

Dad’s early career as a history professor at Harvard and Princeton took Mom with a growing family on sabbaticals to Helsinki, Finland and to Moscow, USSR at the height of the Cold War. Mom helped us four children understand our unique experiences as the first American children in our Russian schools as "exciting adventures," although after one especially freezing visit to a Russian monastery we heard her ask Dad archly, “did you ever consider ITALIAN history?”

Mom and Dad spent their last four decades together in Washington D.C., where Dad served first as Director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and then (for 28 years) as Librarian of Congress before his death in 2018. They were the perfect team. Mom was always at Dad’s side at public events and on myriad trips worldwide, including one hair-raising secret visit to Khomeini’s revolutionary Iran.

A Missions Trip to Lagos, Nigeria

By Mary Caulder

Erika Castillo, Food Services Supervisor, didn’t spend her time off sunning on the beaches. Erika joined a team of local churches on a missionary trip to Nigeria, Africa. They travelled long dusty miles to multiple small towns to deliver food, clothing, eyeglasses, medical supplies, shoes, and other necessary items. Needing to hire their own armed security guard was paramount to their safety. At one stop, someone jumped into their van and tried to take the keys. This was a very emotional experience.

This trip changed Erika’s outlook on things. “We take for granted clean drinking water, bathroom facilities, and transportation.” She saw the main method of transportation, the Moped, was used to transport everything, even goats! People were everywhere

While Mom served as ambassadress for the cultural organizations Dad led, she also quietly supported our family, church, and generations of students, staff, scholars, and dignitaries without expectation of reward. Not surprisingly, she also played an important role in fostering relationships across political and cultural lines as a leading member of International Club One. As a result, Dad often quipped with pleasure that Mom had more friends and influence in the Capitol than he did.

We loved watching Mom at glittery D.C. events where she semed to know everyone—guests and staff alike—treating each individual with genuine interest, helping nervous people to relax, and powerful people not to take themselves too seriously. Now that Mom is settled happily at Beaumont, our family is grateful that she has made so many new friends and is availing herself of fresh “adventures” again too. Thank you, Beaumont, for your warm welcome!

on the streets. Everyone had a side hustle. “I don’t recall ever getting any change back.” Fresh fruit was abundant. Pineapples and bananas simply tasted different. Erika felt a great accomplishment working with her fellow missionaries bringing simple necessities to those in need.

Is she done? No, Erika is already stocking up for her next missionary trip in two years. Great job, Erika. We are proud of you!

Erica expressed her feelings about the trip this way –“Our Missions Trip to Lagos, Nigeria was a plethora of many emotions. I was excited, frightened, anxious, and humbled. Initially, I was focused getting to be a part of the Nigerian people because I am 40 percent Nigerian but then, as time progressed, I realized that there is a gap in the system. The need was great, and the laborers were few. But my mindset changed, and I was ready to dive in. Even though just having our presence was a blessing to many, I wish we could have been able to participate even more. I know that when we return, we can make an even bigger impact in letting the people of Lagos know that someone is willing to love them.”

Erika Castillo. Photo by Linda Madara

Susan Harper and Marjorie Anne Billington. Photo by Susan Harper.

Pheebee Graham — Elegance Personified

By Helen Ballard

If there was a red-carpet evening for the chic canine ladies of Beaumont, Pheebee would be leading the pack. She is an elegant 10-year-old chocolate standard poodle belonging to Mary and Dick Graham. She always looks her best thanks to monthly spa appointments and can be viewed making the Pond Road/Pasture Lane circuit twice a day with Toby Roberts as her escort.

Pheebee, when seeing other dogs, can become a bit overexcited, leaping, barking, and jumping in sheer enthusiasm. This exuberance can be a bit overwhelming to some of the smaller dogs who aren't sure about this whirling dervish! When indoors she quiets down and will play happily with any fellow canine regardless of size. On her morning walks she looks for the newspaper man and greets him with a display of acrobatics, barks, and overall happiness as he launches the morning paper onto various driveways. She is happiest when she gets to ramble about in the woods - always an exciting adventure! She loves sniffing the vegetation and picking up sticks. Every stick is the best stick ever and to be treasured until a new one is discovered. She finds the only real drawback to the woods is that her leash is firmly attached to Toby, which is especially disappointing to Pheebee when she glimpses deer in the distance. She does get some time off leash when visiting the Nalle Gardens where she can leap and cavort unattached. According to Toby, ‘’she runs the grassy aisles similar to the way the thoroughbreds bolt out of the gates at Churchill Downs!” Before her off-leash time is over, she checks the garden shed

A Winner

CANINES of BEAUMONT

for crumbs left behind by Brooke Gay, who often eats his lunch there, and is known to leave little morsels behind. Needless to say, this is greatly appreciated by Pheebee as well as resident birds, mice and squirrels.

Visiting the Grahams can be quite a happening. Pheebee is beyond excited when company comes. It is her notion that you have come exclusively to see her. After her greeting of barks and some leaping maneuvers she settles down and is a good hostess. However, if you happen to come in with a package or bag, she is, and there is no nice way to say it, a snoop! She needs to check out everything that comes into the house in case it might be something for her. After the TSA treatment she will settle down and play quietly with her toys. If it is at cocktail hour there is a ritual that must be followed. When a guest is given their glass of wine, she knows she is to be included, and gets her own special hors d’oeuvre called a Greenie. As most canine aficionados know, these treats are to improve dental health and questionable breath. How well they work for the intended use you must ask her mom. As far as Pheebee is concerned it is a delicious treat and makes her feel like one of the guests. Rest assured you will enjoy something more palatable!

Although a large dog, Pheebee would really like to be a lap dog. While the guests are busy chatting, she may wander over wanting to be patted and look longingly at your lap. One need only say,” I’m busy”, and she’ll go back and lie down! When the visit is over, she does not take kindly to your leaving and will bark to express her disappointment. She is a sweet intelligent dog who loves visitors. It is worth stopping by for a visit just so that you can wait for her to sidle over wanting attention and you can say, “I'm busy, Pheebee”, and watch her go and lie down.” Pretty well trained I would say!

Pheebee Graham. Photo by Toby Roberts.

Sonia Triester and her third-place winning cactus in the Philadelphia Flower Show

Sonia Triester

The winning cactus

Ribbons