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Welcome to Sunset House
A Home For The Dying
 Celebrates 21 Years 1990 - 2011

Words and Pictures From The Heart Say So Much

Laurie Witmeyer

My name is Barb and I have created this web site to honor all of the residents that have passed through this house. This is my story of how I came to know the wonderful people who are “the Sunset House”.
My Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer in January 2001. She fought as hard as she could for as long as she could. Late July 2006 it became clear that she needed to turn her focus on being comfortable rather than being cured. Our family together helped her with her decision to allow Hospice to take care of her.
I am fortunate to have a large family, but even with all of us together, it would have taken weeks for us to make her home comfortable for her. While we were doing that, we would have lost precious time with her. So on August 7, 2006 she was admitted to the Sunset House and that day our family became a part of their family.
Here the staff and many volunteers that took care of all my Mom’s needs embraced us. They were there around the clock to make sure that she was as comfortable as she could be. We were allowed to visit as often as we wanted. Many of her relatives and friends had also stopped by to visit. We celebrated many family birthdays in the 2 months that she was there. On warm days she would go outside and enjoy the beautiful gardens that surround the house.
While Mom slept, we got a chance to sit and talk with the many nurses and volunteers about their personal lives and their families. These people are truly angels and give so much of their selves to strangers that pass through this house. They answered all of our questions and prepared us for the various stages that my Mom would go through. This helped us so much as we went through this difficult time.
My Mom suffered a small stroke the week before she passed away. We all knew that her time was near and most of us moved into the house. My Dad stayed that final week so he could be there with her. My 5 brothers and sisters, in-laws and myself also took turns staying at the house. The volunteers were wonderful and even though I am sure we were a little overwhelming in quantity, they did not seem to mind.
My Mom died October 7, 2006 surrounded by her family. She was only at the Sunset House for 2 months but it seemed much longer. It’s hard to imagine that in that short time, this group of people could make such a huge impression on our family. We are all very thankful for the wonderful care that they all gave to Mom and are still giving to new residents and their families’ everyday.

The Life of Nanette Schneider -Dice
June 21, 1920 - July 16, 2011

   One thing that characterized Nanette’s life was her ability to overcome adversity.  She faced the death of both her parents before the age of 22 years. She also lost her oldest sister at a young age, but still she pressed on to achieve her goal in becoming a doctor. She became a psychiatrist at a time when females faced tremendous obstacles while pursuing a medical career. She was one of two women In her graduating class from Case Western Reserve in Ohio.
   Nanette was a woman who lived what she believed. A strong supporter of equal rights and opportunities for all, she was instrumental in establishing the first integrated middle class neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the 1960s. Throughout her life in Grand Rapids, she was very involved in helping the people caught in the poverty of the inner-city.
   She dedicated her life to helping families through her career as a psychiatrist which she practiced until the age of 70. Even then, she lived out her love for animals by volunteering at the John Ball Park Zoo, handling animals and teaching children about them.
   At 55 years old, Nanette dedicated her life to Jesus Christ by walking down the isle of a little gospel church in the inner-city to the song, Just as I am. She lived her faith through 91 years of loving and serving; her family, her community, her God.
   On July 1, 2011, just one week after her 91st birthday, my mom's IV fluids were removed after the diagnosis of inoperable colon cancer. Mercifully, she was admitted to the Sunset Hospice House soon after.  During our twelve day stay at Sunset House, we were blessed by meeting many wonderful caring nurses and volunteers. From our warm welcome, through day and night of loving, respectful care, to the sacred moment of my mom's last breath, we were upheld and supported. Our family is forever grateful to the Sunset House Community for providing a place to be with my mom as she stepped across the threshold of eternity.
                                                       Written by her loving daughter, Jocelyn Paas

If anyone has pictures of their family members or loved ones that have passed through this house, I would be glad to post them on the site. Please contact me at: bweigert@rochester.rr.com

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