Silver Stories

Meet JC and PC!

     This month we have the joy of presenting JC and PC, long-term residents of Peoria. Married for 64 years, both have contributed to countless lives, especially their 6 children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren! 
     PC was born in Peoria and grew up on the East Bluff. The youngest child in her family, she worked hard in school to keep up because she started kindergarten when she was barely 4 years old. She attended nursing school in Indiana and returned to Peoria to OSF Hospital to work as an RN. JC was also born in Peoria, but his salesman father moved his family to Springfield and Indiana before returning to Peoria. He attended several colleges in Indiana, finishing his medical school education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. At the time, in 1959, OSF was starting to really grow, so he and several classmates came to Peoria to do their internship year. It was there on the hospital unit, that he met the love of his life and convinced her that she was the one for him, even though PC was convinced that she would enter religious life as a Sister. He converted to Catholicism and the two were wed. JC was accepted into a pediatric residency in Chicago, so they began their married life in Chicago during his first year of residency and started a family. 
     Peoria was their choice to return to after residency where JC established his pediatric practice, practicing for 38 years. JC had a traditional physician practice, rising early every morning, and making rounds at all three hospitals before going into the office to see patients all day. His contributions to the establishment of the OSF Neonatal ICU and the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois are monumental. He shares a room dedicated to him and another prominent Peoria physician at OSF. He retired in 1999 when computers "took over medicine and the physician-patient relationship was changed just too" much for his tolerance. PC continued to raise their children until she returned to work as an RN later in their family life. 

Challenges Faced
     JC said raising his family and being present for them while keeping up "an old-fashioned medical practice" was difficult. Since he was almost always on call for his patients, it was hard to get away from a phone for more than an hour, even on Sundays when taking the family to church!
     PC said that being supportive of her husband and being so busy with their children was difficult. PC was very social and wanted them to be out doing more with others but JC was so busy that when he did have time, he wanted to spend time with the family. 

Opportunities
     JC said he took the initiative to get the first "mobile phone" in 1989. He says it was as heavy as a brick! But he wanted some freedom to take calls when doing something besides work, like bowling! The family had a phone with two lines so that when they had a house full of teenagers, the answering service could still get through to him!
     PC took opportunities to be involved with the kids and then returned to nursing after taking several years off to raise their children. She took a refresher course and then returned to hospital floor nursing before changing to home health care. She was one of the first RNs to do in-home hospice care, in which she worked until she retired. PC said she really enjoyed hospice and felt that this care was a "real calling" and that she "did a lot of listening" to patients and families at the end of life. 

Accomplishments:
     JC said finding PC for his wife, raising his family, and his medical practice are what he has the most satisfaction from. He is most appreciative of the excellent colleagues he had the opportunity to work with.
     PC said that raising her family and hosting "BIG birthday parties" for the whole family, are events no one would miss! The bulletin board behind them in their photo above is covered with family members and celebratory moments. JC says PC is "the glue that holds the family together". 

Hobbies and Activities
     JC picked up woodworking in retirement, learning to make many household and decorative items. His great-granddaughter is using a highchair he made for his first grandchild! 
     Making food and hosting large family gatherings has been PC's long-standing activity, stating, " And that is quite an accomplishment!" 

Heroes
      JC notes the exemplary physicians and medical team members whom he had the opportunity to work with; their intelligence and dedication to excellent patient care were remarkable.
      PC's heroes are those of sincere and dedicated faith, such as Father Tom Hennsler and Monsignor Bill Watson, stating they were humble and caring men, dedicated to the spiritual well-being of others. 

Message to the Next Generation
JC: Define your purpose in life and work as hard as hell to accomplish it! Trust in providence. 
PC: Love one another. Be humble.

Motto:
JC: Keep moving and do it right now!
PC: Enjoy life, pray, and be faithful. 

Reflections on Aging
JC: There are unexpected changes, like living longer than you thought you would and being more active than you thought you would be. It is surprising that you do become weaker and start to have problems with various body systems. It is harder than you think it will be. 
PC: Benefits are gaining wisdom, humility, acceptance, and learning how to keep a sense of humor. 
Both laughed at the adage, "Inside a very old person is a young person saying, "What the heck happened?!"
Both: planning ahead for inevitable changes, like needing to downsize and accept help when needed. 

Graceland Center salutes you, JC and PC, for all sharing your story with us! We thank you for all of your wonderful contributions to the Peoria area!