We’re late in getting out our annual Christmas letter because the last month has been super hectic—with two major events, our Annual MHCH Celebration and the unveiling of the N. Fair Oaks mural—Jill’s foot surgery (removal of a neuroma that was causing intense pain), car issues (both our vehicles have been in the shop) and the death of Jill’s beloved mother at age 94 after a long bout with Alzheimer’s’. Jill’s mom passed peacefully on Dec. 13 at 4:15 am.
“I was unable to be present because my foot surgery took place that same day,” recalls Jill, “but my sister Jana was with Mom at the lovely board-and-care with care givers and hospice workers. A friend from church suggested that I call my mom the night before she died, so I called and poured out my heart with tears and appreciation for having such an an amazing, vibrant, fun-loving mother who knew how to love and listen. She is now free from her Alzheimer’s and with her beloved Lord.”
A Graveside Service will be at 2:00 p.m. Sat. Jan. 4th at Loma Vista Cemetery, 701 E Bastanchury Rd, Fullerton, CA 92835. A Celebration of Life will also take place in Shell Beach on Jan. 11, at 11:30 p.m. Please contact janaheirendt@gmail.com for more information.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to Making Housing and Community Happen, a nonprofit that Donna’s daughter Jill and her husband Anthony co-founded: www.makinghousinghappen.org/donate .
To read about Donna’s amazing life, click here. https://www.ocregister.com/obituaries/donna-lee-shook-yorba-linda-ca/
In addition to these challenges, we’d like to share some of the highlights of this year.
Jill thoroughly enjoys our home and neighborhood, our prolific garden and eating its bountiful harvest of fruit and veggies, biking up the street with her new non-electric bike and waving and talking to neighbors.
She had a blast organizing her 70th birthday party where around 120 people came to celebrate her life and the 100th anniversary of our home, and also the completion of a bathroom for Mark, our friend who lives in our back house.
She also enjoyed working with Mark to create a rain barrel to capture water from the roof of the new bathroom.
Anthony enjoyed working on a book about the cancer journey that he and his previous wife Jill Shook took 15 years ago.
He had a delightful 75th birthday party with cherished friends and appreciated receiving aa a gift a box of ten Americauna chicks in the mail. They have grown up and are now producing blue eggs and lots of joy.
He has been faithfully attending weekly vigils in support of Palestinians and has successfully urged our city, his Quaker meeting and his annual Quaker Yearly Meeting to make public statements in support of a ceasefire, expedited humanitarian aid, and release of hostages. He has also been involved in raising tens of thousands of dollars in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Both of us enjoyed our four-month sabbatical (from May 1 to Sept 1) knowing that our nonprofit was in the good hands of Bert Newton (our new executive director) and our staff.
We had a wondrous, peaceful retreat in a little cabin in the redwoods at the Ben Lomond Quaker Center.
We enjoyed going to a family reunion/ 25th wedding anniversary for Jill’s nephew Jonathan and his wife Jasmin, and hanging out in the lovely quaint, historic town of Benicia in the Bay area.
We are also happy with the successes of MHCH:
Thanks in large part to our efforts, the Pasadena Unified Schol Board approved affordable staff and teacher housing on a vacant school property, and voters approved a measure that will fund it. After a history of organizing that started over 20 years ago, this was a win worth celebrating!
The Civic Center project, 50 affordable units for low-income seniors and 50 units for unhoused seniors, has been fully approved after a two-and-and-a-half year delay in Design Review. Heritage Square South opened this summer—69 units of supportive housing for unhoused seniors. We feel great joy since we championed both projects.
Jill led a highly successful Housing Justice Institute in Placer County with five cities and over 80 people participating. Jill is now preparing for one in La Canada (a city not known for affordable housing, with a median income of $175,000, and hardly any rental units). She is overjoyed to see churches coming together to support this effort.
We are deeply grateful for these challenges and joys that are bringing closer to God and to our family and friends. We hope and pray you will have a joyful and blessed New Year!
Anthony and Jill
