Among Friends
News for friends and supporters of the
Friendship Service Center of New Britain

March 2010 - Vol. 2, No. 4
Caring for neighbors in need
In This Issue
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links

Greetings!

For the
Annual Mtg. 2010 - Aetna Award

love of
Clarence

 
By Ellen
Perkins Simpson
Executive Director


Clarence came to the Friendship Center in 1986.  Repeated attempts to find him a more permanent home were to no avail because Clarence had decided we were his family and here he stayed for close to 20 years until his health forced us to move him to Walnut Hill Convalescent Home right up the street.

 

Clarence Harold Brayne was born in Berlin on March 19, 1926.  He was cared for by his parents until they died and somehow ended up at Connecticut Valley Hospital for 25 years.  When he came to us, he had taken a weekend pass from CVH.  He never returned.  They closed his case.

 

In the beginning Clarence was very volatile.  Whenever he was confronted with something unfamiliar or different, he would rant and rave.  For each state of his stay with us, Clarence would "choose" a staff person or fellow resident who would take special care of him.  There was Kevin, Ellen, Thomas, Miss Barbara, Steve, Sylvia, JoAnn.  But none did as much for Clarence as his final "chosen one" Rachael.

 

Rachael took Clarence to the beach, brought him to the Foodshare Walk Against Hunger, bought him spiffy new clothes, treated him to burgers at the diner, took him for drives.  We can hear him now walking down the staff hallway calling out, "Rachael, Rachael.  Where's Rachael?"  And when he went to Walnut Hill, Rachael stayed with him, washing his clothes every week, visiting him regularly and assured he was well cared for.  Nothing less was acceptable for her Clarence.

 

Clarence had a special friend at the Friendship Center, a petite African American woman named Esther.  Day after day, year following year they sat across from each other in the Tomasso Community Dining Room.  They rarely spoke but each was completely aware of the other's presence.  On Esther's last day at the Friendship Center she was taken to see her doctor.  She would die three weeks later at New Britain General Hospital.  As Esther arose from her chair, Clarence looked at her tenderly and said, "Esther, don't forget your pocketbook."  

 

Our beloved Clarence died on Wednesday March 10th at 9:45 a.m., just shy of his 84th birthday.  He died peacefully in his sleep and, when he did, a piece of the Friendship Center died with him.  He will be buried next to Esther at Fairview Cemetery.  The Friendship Center will hold a Memorial Service to honor Clarence on Monday, March 15th at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel at South Church, 90 Main Street, New Britain.

Annual Mtg. 2010 - Aetna Award