At Vitalia North Olmsted, families are helping preserve their loved ones’ histories through Herstory.
“Nowadays, it’s nothing for women to go to college and women to hold authoritative positions,” said Julie Sabo, regional memory care director for Arrow Senior Living, Arrow Senior Living is the management company of Vitalia. “But you know, 50 years ago, 60, 80 years ago, you hardly heard of women completing high school, less alone going to college, so a lot of our residents have created those paving stones for us.”
Dianne Mosley is one of those trailblazing women.
“That must’ve been in college,” Dianne said, while pointing to a photo in an album.
She was looking through the pictures with her daughter Marcia Geary and son Wayne Mosley. Wayne has a twin sister, Wendy, who lives in Arizona. While taking in all the smiling faces and happy memories, Dianne said one thing came to mind.
“How wonderful family I have. That’s because they’re here,” she said with a laugh.
Wayne said a sense of humor is a big part of the family, as is his mother’s memory.
“Just hearing about family and things, that made a big impact on all of us,” he said.
But at 94-years-old, Dianne’s recollection is becoming a little rusty. She now lives in a memory care community and her family’s sharing some of her accomplishments as a part of the Herstory project shared on social media.
“She was always interested in history, and I think she’d be the first one to want to contribute her story where it might help someone else,” Geary said.
Born in Pennsylvania, Dianne moved to the Cleveland area after marrying her late husband for his first job. The couple had Browns season tickets for years and even witnessed them take home the championship in 1964.
“We didn’t expect it to be the last time,” Dianne said.
“I blame my dad for my misery of following Cleveland Browns sports,” Wayne joked.
Dianne and John were active in the community and served as longtime judges for speech and debate students.
“They’re desperate for judges,” Dianne said, laughing.
She also stepped up when she saw a need for younger students.
“She helped to start a kindergarten when a levy had failed and the kindergarten had stopped," Geary said.
From travels all over the world to grandkids and parties: there’s nearly a century of memories inside the album.
“I think I could’ve done more,” Dianne said.
But her kids are proud of all she’s accomplished.
“We know the impact she’s had on our lives, but to see that with other people and still to this day when she isn’t as active as she was, I think is very telling as to how she’s lived her life,” Wayne said.
Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Arrow Senior Living is the management company of Vitalia. (April 21, 2023)