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Annual May Spring Tea – A Century Long Tradition

By Christine Hall

Spring Tea, a beloved and anticipated annual Franke Tobey Jones celebration since 1922, is hosted for the residents in honor of Mrs. Franke Tobey Jones’ birthday, May 22nd. This year will be an extra special occasion that will kick off our three-month Centennial celebration. Since 1925, the Tea has been hosted in the Tobey Jones building solarium, with lovely decorations, delicious food, background music and using the nearly original sterling silver tea  service, and this year will be no different.

Additionally, this year, the main hallway leading to the Solarium will be filled with special displays of historic stories, photos and news clippings.

Because of space constraints, this event is only open to Franke Tobey Jones residents.  Centennial displays will be available for the public to view in August.  More information will follow in upcoming blog posts. 

Photo Caption
Tacoma News Tribune, May 1963
Lovely Tea Table Set at Tobey Jones Home – The board of Franke Tobey Jones Home entertained residents of the home and their guests with the annual spring tea Tuesday.  Handsome arrangements of rhododendron, combined with other bouquets of azalea, snowballs, iris and roses, made the rooms and tables most festive.  Show above, from left, are Mrs. Howard Gregory, Mrs. Guy Pierce, Miss Ethel Dunkerly, Mrs. Gordon Parker, Mrs. Chandler Sloan, Mrs. May Sounders, Miss Jessie Barlow and Mrs. Frank Neal.