Siblings find perfect new home for beloved big sister

The oldest of six children, Karen Loehr played an important role in the lives of her younger siblings.

“Karen was a great older sister, she thought it was her job to teach us things—she was a natural teacher,” said Karen’s sister, Joyce vonEhrenkrook.

So, when Karen decided it was time to move from the family home where she had lived for the past 68 years, Joyce, along with her brother, took it upon themselves to find a place that would offer Karen the life they felt she deserved.

While the siblings were already familiar with Wichita Presbyterian Manor from Karen’s time as a manor employee in the early 2000s, they decided to stop by for a tour and were immediately sold.

“It was an easy choice for us,” said Joyce. “My brother and I went, and we loved the place! It’s just so lovely and everyone is so friendly. It was just a good fit.”

When the time came in February for Karen to make the move, it wasn’t a long commute either—Wichita Presbyterian Manor is less than a mile from the home Karen grew up in.

The siblings’ only other concern was how long it would take for Karen to make some new friends and get acclimated, but that concern was soon put to rest as well.

“Karen tends to be on the shy/quiet side,” said Joyce. “It’s been amazing to me that people have reached out to her. Her next-door neighbor even asked her to have lunch with her and make introductions.”

And the results of that kindness were evident.

“Early on when I called and asked about her day she’d say, ‘great!’ and I had never heard her say her day was great before—that told me things were going well,” said Joyce.

For that, Joyce and her siblings are grateful.

“Kudos to the staff at Presbyterian Manors and the residents. They have just been wonderful … so welcoming and open,” said Joyce.

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