Meet Our Residents

Crawford Brubaker spent 35 years in international marketing for Lockheed and served as the U.S. Department of Commerce's deputy assistant secretary for aerospace. He has been an SCPH board member for 15 years, and is busy with several civic and charitable groups. His wife, Lu, did office and bookkeeping work while raising the couple's four children. She is on several Royal Oaks Manor committees as well as being active in PEO.

"You don't have to give up your favorite leisure pursuits when you move to Royal Oaks Manor. We're within easy reach of shopping and dining in Duarte, Arcadia, Pasadena and other cities, and there are some great golf courses nearby. My three partners and I – all residents here – play twice a week. Plus, our community activities director does a great job planning a variety of resident outings."

- Crawford

"We like having different levels of living and care right here at Royal Oaks Manor. Both Crawford and I spent some time at the community's skilled nursing facility while recuperating from surgery, and it was very easy to visit each other all the time. Our apartment is just the right size, including space for things like having friends over for appetizers before going out to dinner."

- Lu

Charlotte Mikity compares Royal Oaks Manor's lush community entrance with one of her favorite Hawaiian hideaways. Originally from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, she came to California with her late husband when he started medical school. Charlotte, who has five grown children, was active for 48 years in the medical faculty wives group at USC. Her Royal Oaks Manor activities include bridge, Rummy Tile and exercise class three times a week. She has served on several community committees and still lends a hand from time to time.

"I'm living a wonderful life at Royal Oaks Manor, better than I ever imagined it could be. I've met so many lovely, extremely intelligent and educated people. And it isn't only the residents who feel like my extended family but staff members, too. They couldn't be nicer or more helpful. Everybody's always smiling. There are no grouches here!"

- Charlotte

A former vice president with Bank of America and a senior electronics engineer at Hughes, respectively, Carolyn and Bud Bohling feel right at home at Royal Oaks Manor. He plays the piano during mid-morning community coffee breaks and is the unofficial fixit man who helps neighbors with tech problems. She is a gourmet cook and avid swimmer who participates in the community's aerobics class. The Bohlings are also active in their church.

"When we moved from our large home to Royal Oaks Manor, we felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off our shoulders. We can do what we want, even leave town for a few days, and there's no lawn or other maintenance chores to worry about. The administrators are very good, respectful of our privacy and open to new ideas."

- Carolyn

"It's so easy having everything covered in one monthly bill. The food is excellent, and they rotate the menu frequently and are very flexible about grabbing a bite if you miss a meal. The Royal Oaks Manor grounds are beautiful, and you can get in a full mile's walk inside the community. We like to walk to the pond and feed the ducks. Everything is well protected because this is a secure community."

- Bud

A San Diego native and huge L.A. Lakers fan, career woman Ruth Greife spent 35 years as human resources director with Sears Roebuck. When she was ready for a change of scene from her condo community, a friend was looking at Royal Oaks Manor and Ruth did, too. It was everything she wanted, and she purchased here without even shopping around. Ruth is a member of the landscape, safety, food and library committees, and she sees the community's well-stocked library as one of its greatest treasures.

"I love living at Royal Oaks Manor, with its rural atmosphere and lots of area to walk around. There's always something going on, and I'm meeting new people and learning all the time. I often take advantage of our field trips, such as to the Getty and other museums. I also take in theatrical events at Citrus College."

- Ruth

High school sweethearts Earle and Marty Howard have been married for 65 years. He was a mechanical engineer with JPL, and Marty was a bank teller and homemaker. After living in their La Cañada home for 50 years, they decided it was time to put their do-it-yourself years behind them and move to Royal Oaks Manor.

"My aunt lived at Royal Oaks for 25 years, so we knew how nice it is and never looked anywhere else. The grounds are so beautiful, and with sliding doors in every room of our apartment, we get plenty of light and can enjoy all the greenery. When we take our friends to dinner in the community dining room, they say the good food and elegant atmosphere make them feel like they're on a cruise."

- Marty

"We didn't want our two sons to worry about us as we get older, and Royal Oaks Manor is the perfect way to go. Even if one of us needs to move to assisted living, we'll still be able to see each other every day. They keep all your medical records, and all the health insurance we need is right here."

- Earle

Retired chemical engineer John Hopkins and his homemaker wife, Kay, are an integral part of the Royal Oaks Manor lifestyle. John is part of the computer group and frequently acts as photographer at community events, such as luaus and the annual 4th of July party. Kay heads the craft group that creates tray favors for Royal Oaks Manor's skilled-living residents and donates her custom-made greeting cards for sale at The Acorn Room, the community's convenient onsite shop.

"When we were ready to make the move to a retirement community, we wanted to remain close to all our contacts and activities in Arcadia. Royal Oaks Manor was not only ideally located but it offered the fulfilling lifestyle we were looking for. Kay and I were among the first to move into the newest addition here, and we're glad we did."

- John

"What's nice about living here is you can be very independent and still benefit from the availability of different levels of service. We like to travel, and it's so easy to just pick up and go when you live at Royal Oaks. The staff is incredible. They provide so many little extras. I'm just amazed."

- Kay

Pat Moritz is a second-generation Royal Oaks Manor resident, who was thrilled to learn that she could bring her cats, Panther (pictured here) and Beau, when she moved in. She chose a studio apartment with a huge walled porch, so her cats can be safely inside or outside. A retired kindergarten and first grade teacher, Pat has two grown sons and four grandchildren. She enjoys the Royal Oaks Manor gym, on-campus weekend movies, nightly games with friends and daily walks around the grounds, which she says rival Descanso Gardens. Pat drives other residents to church every week and heads the committee that changes the dining room's silk flower arrangements each month.

"At Royal Oaks Manor, I found not just a new home but a new family. This is a place where people really help each other out. Royal Oaks provides a Gentle Transition team that helped me plan my move and decide which furnishings to bring with me. They even referred me to an excellent estate sale company. This made everything so much easier."

- Pat

John and Nancy Killen are having the time of their lives as residents of Royal Oaks Manor. In addition to their many outside activities, they serve on the community's Christmas Decorating Committee and helped start the Travel Club. John, a retired IBM systems engineer, is secretary of the Safety Committee, a member of the Employee Appreciation Fund and chairs twice-monthly putting contests with Nancy's assistance. Nancy, who was an aerospace cost estimator and homemaker, also helps out at The Acorn Room.

"My mother lived at Royal Oaks Manor for 11 years, taking advantage of all three levels of care, so we have always known what a wonderful place it is. We love being able to enjoy all the benefits while remaining as independent as we please. And the food is every bit as good as we find on our cruises."

- Nancy

"We live in one of the Royal Oaks Manor cottages, so we have the best of both worlds. Now, when Nancy and I travel, we simply lock the door and go, knowing that our home is well taken care of. If Royal Oaks Manor isn't the finest retirement community in Southern California, I'd like to know what is!"

- John