Historical February–March 2018 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
The neighbors who had initial plots in the McPherson Community Garden quickly came to know Theresa King.
She lived in the building immediately to the east of the garden.
When gardeners came by to plant, water, or weed, Theresa spoke to them from her window.
She was part of the garden’s work days and also appeared at many neighborhood events, often accompanying by her neighbor, Gwen LaZard. Andy Cross said she provided inspiration on a particular Blitz Day. That was true of many events in the 1990s and the first decade of this century. Theresa was visually challenged and her sight declined over time.
When she was unable to go outdoors she kept her role as window supervisor. Andy Cross and several others wished to honor her role in the garden. Andy constructed a beautiful inscribed bench that now sits in the garden.
He brought the bench to her in her apartment.
She could not see it; she was blind by this time. Andy described it to her and she touched the wood, following his words with her fingers. Theresa had moved to our neighborhood a quarter century ago.
She had no family and neighbors served that role for her here.
She had to move to a care facility and her friends here lost touch with her.
She died in November 2017. Those of us who knew her will remember her humor and her good cheer. And the bench will tell her story to current and future gardeners.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, February–March 2018.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2018_02.pdf, printed page(s) 7; PDF page(s) 7.
