Kathryn H.

In September of 2016 my mother, Eleanor, would be celebrating her 100th birthday. To honor her wonderful life, we needed a venue that was festive and inviting. The planned event would include dinner and wine and provide a place to show video clips of her life throughout the decades. One of her greatest joys was playing the piano, she practiced every day having once played professionally. When we visited the Madonna Inn, we loved the colorful banquet room, the ideal size for our gathering, and it included the use of a baby grand piano. The Madonna Inn became the ideal choice. We were now set to send out invitations for this special event.

As the date drew closer, the response from friends and family members was overwhelming. Thank goodness we had chosen the larger room! Family members from Arizona, Alaska, Missouri and Utah all planned to attend, three generations were there, many of the younger cousins having never met.  It became an ideal time for a once-in-a-lifetime family reunion. The biggest surprise came from our good friends from Austria who flew in just for the weekend to celebrate Mom. What an amazing party was in store. Mom’s local doctor also insisted on coming and many of her friends from her retirement community joined in the celebration.

After the video and speeches were complete, Mom had just a few things to say. Her comment was “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you being here, but I can play some music for you.”  Her song choice was “All I Can Give You is Love”. Everyone was in tears listening to the beautiful music being played all from memory by this beautiful lady now turning 100! We all enjoyed the Madonna Inn’s signature pink champagne cake and joined around the piano for more heartfelt music.

The evening was a cherished event and will always be remembered as a celebration of a long and loving life. We appreciated all the help we received from the Madonna Inn during the planning process and throughout the evening. When we look at the photos from that day and see extensive smiling faces, it brings back the warmth and happiness everyone felt in honoring a special lady who was so dear to us all.