Why Your Gift Mattered to the Kilgores

Esther would have been 99 years old in August 2020. We are so thankful for the care she continued to receive even after running out of funds. If you can give to the Caring Fund, it’s worthwhile to do it,”  Ray, son of Esther Kilgore

Esther & John Kilgore lived in Strasburg, PA, for many years. Reformed Mennonites, they participated in church, raised four boys, worked hard, and lived frugally.

They grew and canned their own food, and Esther sewed all of her own clothing. Esther loved gardening. She also was a talented cook.

“I never knew good cooking until I tasted her cooking. She made melt-in-your-mouth good pie crusts,” Ruth Kilgore, Esther’s daughter-in-law, said. “She cooked well into her 80s!”

Eventually, Esther and John decided to move to Landis Homes at the urging of their sons. Esther continued to live independently at Landis Homes even after John passed away 2007. Then Esther’s health began deteriorating, and she needed more care.

“Mom’s (Esther’s) health began changing, and she started wandering, which culminated in a diagnosis of dementia. After several moves on campus, it was time for her to live in a more secure place, so she settled in Lancaster House,” Ray, one of her sons, said.

Around December 2018, Esther ran out of personal funds and began receiving assistance from the Caring Fund. In July 2020, Esther passed away.

“She would have been 99 years old in August. We are so thankful for the care she continued to receive even after running out of funds. If you can give to the Caring Fund, it’s worthwhile to do it,” Ray said.

One of the ways you can assist a resident, like Esther, is with a gift to the Caring Fund. Because the need is every day, please consider an automatic monthly gift. Your generosity helps residents cover the gap between what Medicaid covers and what they can afford to pay.