1962 – Tenzler Foundation Donates One Third The Cost for the New Building

In late 1958, when the Board contemplated a second building for the Franke Tobey Jones Home, the plan to raise the $430,000 necessary was to find twenty-six individuals in Tacoma willing to contribute as a memorial to their parents.  After two or three years of effort, this plan failed.  The Board of Directors was in a dilemma.  Lillian Pratt’s bequest to the Home in 1947 specified that the money be used for the operation of the Home (not for building a new Home).  Yet, the endowment fund was much larger than was needed to operate the Home at its present size. 

Then, the Board was notified that Mrs. Flora Tenzler, a life-long resident of Tacoma, left the larger part of her entire estate in trust to be used for religious, educational, scientific and charitable purposes.  The Tenzler Foundation contributed one-third of the funds necessary to add an additional building to the Home.  The income from Mrs. Pratt’s generous bequest would see to the day-to-day operations of the Home.  Therefore, other monies from the endowment fund could be committed to the building of the extension.  Less than a third of the remaining cost of the extension would be outstanding.  A plea for help brought many smaller, but still generous, donations and soon the funds for the new building were all in hand.  Specifically, ten individuals greatly contributed to the fund drive.

At the October 9, 1964, Board meeting, it was expressed, on behalf of the hundreds and thousands of present and future residents, the Board’s heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Lillian Pratt, Flora Tenzler and the ten individual donors whose contributions would be specified for the new Health Care Center.

The $1,200,000 that the new building would cost had been raised without a penny being paid by either state or federal governments.

On January 24, 1962, the Tacoma News Tribune reported “Construction of a new $1 million [building] for the Franke Tobey Jones Homes, more than doubling the capacity of the well-known retirement Home adjoining Point Defiance Park, is scheduled to start soon.  Franke Neal, President of the Board which administers the 35-year-old facility, announced today that the Board has signed a contract with Macdonald Building Co. for construction of the unit.  It will contain living quarters for 70 senior citizens, adjoining the existing Home at 5340 N. Bristol Street.  Completion is expected within a year.  Silas Nelsen, Tacoma architect, designed the new building in a modified Tudor Gothic style similar to the present building.  The structure will be a separate entity with its own dining hall, kitchen and modern infirmary staffed by registered nurses and the Home’s own physician.

Note:  In later years, at the request of the Tenzler Foundation because of the numerous annual financial requests they received from throughout the community, the Tenzler name was dropped from the building.