Frederick Living (Zieglerville, Pennsylvania, USA)
Frederick Living (first known as Mennonite Home for the Aged), located at Upper Frederick Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, had its beginning when N. B. Grubb persuaded the Eastern District Conference (General Conference Mennonite Church) to purchase the former Frederick Institute, a three-story brick building erected in 1857 along with three acres of land. The Mennonite Home for the Aged was dedicated and officially opened on 1 September 1896. The buildings consisted of the main building, a south wing added in 1928, the three-story Stetler property located across the street and occupied by members of the staff, 22 acres of adjoining land purchased later, and the administrator's residence erected in 1954. A $400,000 building program was instituted in 1957 to add 39 rooms, a chapel, and an elevator. In 1956 there were 31 guests and a staff of 10.
The Home was controlled by a board of managers of nine members elected by the Eastern District Conference. In 1956 they were Freeman H. Swartz, chairman; Vernon F. Detweiler, secretary; Harry M. Detwiler, financial secretary and treasurer; William H. Mohr, vice-chairman; Eugene S. Oberholtzer, Stanley Stauffer, Lester Shaffer, Willis A. Moyer, and Stanley Fretz. Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer S. Shelly were the administrators.
In 1971, under the leadership of Rev. Larry Smith, a 50-bed skilled nursing wing/health center was built. In 1987, ten more beds were added and in 1992, it was expanded with additional renovations completed in 2008. The Health Center was named Cedarwood in the 1990s. In 1978, 1986, and 1989 a series of cottages were built that contained 27 homes. In 1993, a major expansion happened under the leadership of Robert Miller with a $10 million project that included building the 63-unit Oaktree Court Apartments and Oaktree Center complex that included a dining room, kitchen, and community center with auditorium, gift shop and medical suite (later renamed Wellness Suite).
The Aspen Village-Memory Support area was built in 2001 with 24 rooms and Magnolia House Personal care converted an area of single rooms to 48 one-bedroom apartments. In 2006, Magnolia Courtyard was completed between Magnolia House, Cedarwood and Oaktree Center. Also in 2006, construction was completed on five two-story “Villa” homes. In 2009, Magnolia West hallway, living Rooms, Pennington Lounge, and room renovations took place and a re-dedication ceremony was held. In 2011, Frederick Mennonite Community was renamed Frederick Living. In 2015, four “Patio” apartments were added and major dining renovations were completed, establishing several venues including the Frederick Bistro, Freddie’s Corner and Fireside dining. In 2016, sponsorship of the organization changed from the Eastern District Conference to Mennonite Health Services, although Frederick Living still remained a Conference-related ministry of the Eastern District Conference. In 2019, 55 cottage homes in a “pocket neighborhood design surrounding landscaped common areas” were completed, occupied, and called The Meadows. The entire Frederick Living Campus in April 2021 has approximately 350 residents.
In 2019, the Eastern District Conference and Franconia Conference joined together to form Mosaic Mennonite Conference, with Frederick Living remaining a conference-related ministry, while it continued under sponsorship of Mennonite Health Services. The Board of Directors of Frederick Living has ten members as of 2021. Warren Tyson, a former Conference Minister for the Eastern District Conference, was the board chair. The mission of Frederick Living is: “In the spirit of Christian love, Frederick Living cares for and enriches the lives of older adults, while valuing the staff, volunteers, and community that serve them.”
Additional Information
Address: 2849 Big Road in Zieglerville, Pennsylvania 19492
Phone: 610-754-7878
Website: https://frederickliving.org/
Administrators, Executive Directors, and CEOs
| Name | Years of
Service |
|---|---|
| Administrator | |
| Sarah Oberholtzer
Kate Allebach Mary Gottshall |
1896 |
| J.R. and Sallie Scheld | 1896-1899 |
| Mr. and Mrs. D. S. Fitzgerald | 1899-1902 |
| Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Zuschnitts | 1902-1903 |
| Mr. and Mrs. David Wells | 1903-1905 |
| Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Zuschnitts | 1905-1908 |
| Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Kinsey | 1908-1917 |
| Mr. and Mrs. George Dengler | 1917-1931 |
| Mr. and Mrs. George Leatherman | 1931-1933 |
| William and Rachel Babel | 1934-1953 |
| Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Mumbauer | 1953 (May-July) |
| Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Unruh | 1954 |
| Wilmer S. and Emma Shelly | 1954-1958 |
| Rev. and Mrs. Larry Smith | 1959-1983 |
| Robert Miller | 1983-1995 |
| Executive Director | |
| Keith Hummel, Jr | 1996-2005 |
| Chief Executive Officer | |
| John Hendrickson | 2005-2021 |
Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article
By Wilmer S. Shelly. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 628. All rights reserved.
The Mennonite Home for the Aged (General Conference Mennonite Church)), located at Frederick, Pennsylvania, had its beginning when N. B. Grubb purchased the former Frederick Institute on 11 February 1896. It was a three-story brick building erected in 1857, with three acres of land. On 24 March 1896 the Eastern District Conference (GCM) purchased this property from Grubb. The Mennonite Home for the Aged was dedicated and officially opened on 1 September 1896. The buildings consisted of the main building, a south wing added in 1928, the three-story Stetler property located across the street and occupied by members of the staff, 22 acres of adjoining land purchased later, and the administrator's residence erected in 1954. A $400,000 building program was instituted in 1957 to add 39 rooms, a chapel, and an elevator.
In 1956 there were 31 guests and a staff of 10. The Home was controlled by a board of managers of nine members elected by the Eastern District Conference. In 1956 they were Freeman H. Swartz, chairman; Vernon F. Detweiler, secretary; Harry M. Detwiler, financial secretary and treasurer; William H. Mohr, vice-chairman; Eugene S. Oberholtzer, Stanley Stauffer, Lester Shaffer, Willis A. Moyer, and Stanley Fretz. Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer S. Shelly were the administrators.
| Author(s) | Amy Cummings-Leight |
|---|---|
| Date Published | April 2021 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Cummings-Leight, Amy. "Frederick Living (Zieglerville, Pennsylvania, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2021. Web. 23 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Frederick_Living_(Zieglerville,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=171175.
APA style
Cummings-Leight, Amy. (April 2021). Frederick Living (Zieglerville, Pennsylvania, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 23 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Frederick_Living_(Zieglerville,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=171175.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.