A History of the Whitinsville Retirement Society

The first meeting consisting of 65 people met on January 30, 1975, in the Fairlawn Christian Reformed Church for the purposes of forming a Society to establish a retirement complex in Whitinsville. An interim committee was elected consisting of six persons. The committee made an offer on the 9-acre Mason property, Chestnut Street, Whitinsville, which was for sale at that time. The interim committee also decided to incorporate at a meeting on February 13, 1975, and decided to call the corporation, “Whitinsville Retirement Society, Inc.” The date of incorporation became February 21, 1975. On March 6, 1975, a meeting of the corporation was held and the members present were notified of the acceptance of the bid of Whitinsville Retirement Society for the purchase of the Mason premises on Chestnut Street; proposed by-laws were also adopted, as amended, at this meeting.

During the next several months, funds were solicited from members and friends for a down payment on the property, and title to same was taken in the name of the corporation on July 1, 1975. The Mason Home, a Victorian mansion, was originally built in 1840 by John C. Whitin and was later relocated to Chestnut Street, becoming the home of Sydney and Elsa Whitin.

By July 31, 1975 Mrs. Annie Bosma agreed to serve as the first director/coordinator of the retirement home. Renovations and improvements on this existing 20 room home were undertaken. On October 21, 1975, Mr. Albert Buma was admitted as the first resident. Mr. Taeke Oppewal became the second resident on November 7, 1975. On November 19, 1975, James H. Jones of Sutton was accepted to become the third resident of the retirement home. Rose Oppewal became a resident on February 4, 1976, and Ruth DeBruin became a resident on April 29, 1976. The retirement home was off and running.

On February 22, 1977, the Board of the Society authorized the application of a loan from Farmers Home Administration for the purpose of constructing 24 units of independent housing for the elderly on the property. The "independent housing" complex was completed and occupied in July of 1980.

Annie Bosma, the first director of the Retirement Home resigned effective August 12, 1977, and Edith Oosterman was appointed as her successor, serving for six years until September 1, 1983. Carolyn Stahl was then appointed as director, serving until October 3, 1986.

In the fall of 1986, the retirement home had nine residents with construction underway for and additional nine residents, bringing the new capacity to eighteen. At this time Susan Van Noord was appointed Director of the Home. Additional improvements and decorating was completed during the next few years. Susan served as director until October, 1991.

Ann Roon became the Director in October of 1991. The current resident capacity is nineteen. Since 1992, the landscaping and property of the Retirement Home and Apartments has been worked on extensively. The property has had many new trees, shrubs and flowers planted. The property is now an excellent area for the residents to walk and enjoy their beautiful surroundings. A new laundry room was built in August of 1994 and an extensive kitchen remodeling occurred in 1994-95.

Alida Wiersma, accompanied by her husband Louis, became Director in October 2000 having moved from New Jersey semi-retiring from operating a facility there. They have family ties here in Whitinsville and completely retired in fall of 2007.

In February 2003 the smallest resident’s room located on the first floor of the Retirement Home was turned into an office and an Administrative Assistant was hired to maintain continuity of information and records for the Board of Directors and to assist the Director with office duties when needed. The Administrative Assistant also became Building Manager of the apartments when the Board took over management of that building in September 2003.

Carol Bourque of Maine was chosen to be the new director and assumed her duties the second week of September 2007.