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1922-2024 Timeline
Introduction 1924 Looking Back Booklet Resident and Team member Stories Senior Writer’s Showcase Centennial Video 100 Years, 100 Stories Book FTJ Day in Tacoma Join the Circle
1920s: Our Beginning
1921
How We Began – Franke Tobey Jones Circles and P.E.O.
In the early 1900’s in Tacoma there had been talk of the need for a home where men and women in the “sunset slope” might find comfort, company and freedom from anxiety. Leadership to fulfill this need came from Mrs. John Q. Mason, president of P.E.O. Chapter C. Fifteen women who had faith and vision were appointed to go forth and lead the way.
1922
Our First Home – The Danaher House
On February 15, 1922, the Tacoma Old People’s Home was incorporated and proceeded to elect men and women who were interested in this good cause. The dream was to establish a community in which retired people could live in pleasant surroundings with all the comforts of Home, but without the burdens of Home ownership.
1923
Mrs. Franke Tobey Jones
The Old People’s Home caught the attention of neighbor Mrs. Franke Tobey Jones who established an endowment fund as needed income to the Home. The successful operation of this Home furnished the necessary stimulant to persuade Mrs. Jones to provide further funds for a new Home.
1924
Mrs. Franke Tobey Jones Broke Ground and Laid the Cornerstone
On March 14, 1924, an 80-year-old Franke, manning a wheelbarrow and spade, presided over the groundbreaking for the new Home. And on July 16, 1924, she laid the cornerstone of the Tobey Jones Building on a spectacular five-acre site with views of Commencement Bay and Mount Rainier.
1925
The Beautiful English Tudor Tobey Jones Home Opens
On March 4, 1925, the Home opened with private accommodations for up to sixty-five residents. At the time of opening, it was only the second Home for the elderly in the state, and soon was recognized as one of the most outstanding facilities in the nation.
1930s: The Depression Years
1930
Many Support Home During the Depression
There is one place in the world where the word depression has been heard but not felt, and that place is within the walls of the Franke Tobey Jones Home. Our beneficiaries of the Home are cognizant of the presence of its sheltering arms.
1931
Tacoma Suffered a Distinct Loss – The Passing of Mrs. Franke Tobey Jones
Mrs. Franke Tobey Jones’ generosity, her devotion to the good of humanity and her civic pride, placed her among those who had gained the respect, affection and the admiration of the entire community.
1940s: The War and After
Early 1940s
FTJ Skillful Needleworkers Help The War Effort
Upon the invasion of Poland and England’s declaration of war on Germany, the women of the Home sewed, knitted, rolled bandages and were of service of the Red Cross, the British-American relief, the Russian Relief and other organizations.
1947
Mrs. Lillian Pratt’s bequest of $750,000 – A Surprise and Godsend!
Although Mrs. Pratt had made annual donations to the Home for the previous ten years, during which her friend, Jessie Barlow, had resided here, her large bequest came as a complete surprise.
1948
Six year waiting list
After the war, the wait list was so long (six years) that the waitlist was discontinued.
1950s: Need For More Accommodations
1956 – 1957
Long Wait List Necessitates a Second Home and Infirmary
It was the opinion of the FTJ Board Chair and the Executive Committee that there was a need for a second Home the same size as this Home, and more than enough applicants to fill such a building.
1960s: More Apartments and More Care
1962
Tenzler Foundation Donates One Third The Cost for the New Building
When the Board contemplated a second building, the plan to raise the $430,000 necessary failed. The Board of Directors was in a dilemma until they were 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.
1962
Long Term FTJ Employee Wielded Same Spade as Mrs. Jones 38 Years Ago to Break Ground for the Pratt-Tenzler Hall
“The public is invited to ceremonies at 1:30 which will look forward to more than doubling the Home’s capacity, and backward to March 1924, when ground was broken for the first unit of the Home.”
1964
Pratt-Tenzler Hall Grand Opening Declared “Margaret Long – Frank Neal Day.”
“We are gathered here today to pay tribute to one of the historic moments of the City of Tacoma – the dedication of the Pratt-Tenzler Hall. There is a warm glow in the heart because this beautiful building will bring a sense of security in the sunset years of the people who are its occupants.”
1968
Franke Tobey Jones Named Top Three Retirement Homes in the Nation
February 28, 1969, Technoeconomic conducted a nation-wide survey and listed Franke Tobey Jones in the top three retirement Homes in the nation.
1970s: Financial Security and New Resident Contact
Mid 1970s
New Competition Creates Vacancy Issues
In the Mid to late 1970s as more retirement communities were opening in Tacoma and surrounding areas, Franke Tobey Jones started experiencing vacancy issues as the original building had become outdated compared to the new communities. Prospects no longer wanted shared bathrooms or small apartments and desired an elevator.
1978
Funding for the Future
Another issue was that the present financial model was not providing enough money to cover operating expenses. No longer was it feasible to guarantee all domestic and medical care for the rest of a resident’s life in exchange for half of his/her assets and income.
1980s: More Competition and Vacancies
1980
Higher Vacancy, Increased Costs and Competition Issues
With the Tobey Jones building being outdated, more vacancies, high operating costs and more competition, the Board of Directors conducted a study and an in-depth analysis of what steps could be taken to turn the situation in a positive direction.
1982
$1 Million Tobey Jones Building Renovation Includes New Amenities
Built in 1924, the Franke Tobey Jones Building will receive a complete interior remodel which included the temporary relocation of more than 50 residents to a neighboring community.
1982
Emphasis Changes From Managing Health to Creating Good Health
In 1982 the infirmary was also transformed from a simple sickbay to a 24-hour Health Care Center with a focus on more long-term needs including restorative and PT programs, social worker, mental and emotional support. Creating good health rather than just managing illness was the goal.
May 22, 1983
Renovated Tobey Jones Building Opens
Although the renovation project was complete in the fall of 1982, the Open House was scheduled for May 22, 1983 in recognition of the birthday of the Home’s late founder, Franke Tobey Jones.
1990s: Greater Independence and Better Health
1992
Growing Independence For Residents – New Cottages
Duplex residents live completely independent lives yet receive the safety and warm community that the Franke Tobey Jones campus provides.
1997
City of Tacoma Choses FTJ To Operate Point Defiance ~ Ruston Senior Center
Both Franke Tobey Jones and the Senior Center share common goals in providing a broad range of services to meet the health, educational, social and recreational needs of seniors of the community.
2000s: Major Expansion
2001
More Highly Popular Duplexes Built
With the popularity of the Duplexes and a long waiting list, six more duplexes were built to bring the total to 22.
2003
Largest Scale Ever Franke Tobey Jones Building Project
On June 18, 2003, Franke Tobey Jones broke ground on a 6,000 square foot Wellness/Fitness Center and a 29-unit apartment building, as well as renovation and expansion of the Health Care Center including a new Memory Care community.
2004
Wicks and Wellness
The 6,000 square foot M.J. Wick’s Family Wellness Center opened in 2004 and has become a hallmark of the campus. The Wellness Center was named in honor of the Wicks family for their generous support of $1 million to build the new Wellness Center.
2004
Residents Move In!
In August 2004 residents moved into the Garden Apartments, the new Health Care Center and “Our Place” Memory Care. The formal ribbon cutting for the Garden Apartments was held October 2004.
2004
Guest Cottages ~ A Brainchild of FTJ Residents
One of the wonderful features of Franke Tobey Jones are the beautiful Guest Cottages which are available to visiting friends and family of FTJ residents. There are three separate rooms in the Cottage, all with a flat screen TV, a coffee maker, a microwave, dishes and flatware.
2007
Cultural and Educational Renaissance
FTJ commenced on a cultural and educational renaissance with the start of the Franke Tobey Jones Senior University which provides a wealth of programs for lifelong learning for people 55+ ~ both residents and the surrounding community.
2010s: Another Major Expansion
2011
FTJ Rebrands and Creates Team Member Promise
In 2011, Franke Tobey Jones embarked on a full marketing rebrand. Extensive research was conducted to discover how people feel about Franke Tobey Jones as the brand needed to reflect how others live and experience the brand.
2014
Tacoma Senior Living Tour Begins
In 2014, partnering with four other local senior living communities, FTJ created the Tacoma Senior Living Tour open to anyone who wants to learn about Senior Living. The goal: change the negative perception many have about senior living communities.
2017
FTJ Stays Competitive with Lillian Pratt Building Refresh
In 2018 Lillian Pratt (formerly Pratt Tenzler Hall) received a much-needed refresh to stay competitive in the market. New carpet, paint, light fixtures, apartment doors and furniture brought the building up to 2018 standards to the delight of everyone.
2017
Ground Broken for 100,000 sq ft of New Living Space
After careful planning, Franke Tobey Jones broke ground on a new state-of-the-art Care Center with skilled nursing and memory care as well as a new independent living apartment building.
2017
“Campaign for Franke Tobey Jones: Historic past ~ Innovative future.“
The campaign was an opportunity for individuals, business partners and other friends in the local community to invest through philanthropic gifts in a new state-of-the-art skilled nursing and memory care community.
2019
Opening of the New Care Center and Bristol View Apartments
With the ribbon cutting help of Dr. Phil Phibbs, the Grand Opening for both the new Care Center and Bristol View was held July 25, 2019. Over 200 people attended and were excited to see these incredibly beautiful buildings.
2020s: Worldwide Pandemic and Beyond
2020
COVID-19 Pandemic and Shut Down
Franke Tobey Jones took extraordinary measures to keep residents and team members safe during the Pandemic. The campus was completely shut down to visitors for a year, and a Personal Concierge Program was established to help residents and family members.
2021
Celebration of Life Circle
In November 2021, a generous resident donor contributed the funds to buy and install a Tom Torin bell and three of his benches in the patio between the Care Center and the Tobey Jones building. It’s become a very special place on campus to honor the lives of residents who have passed.
2022
Holistic Wellness Program Launched
This new unique, interactive program focuses on mental, emotional, spiritual, environmental, vocational, social and cultural wellbeing.
2022
Montessori-Inspired Memory Care Programming
In 2022 Franke Tobey Jones embarked on a brand-new way of engaging with Memory Care residents. While Montessori is most often connected to learning for children, Montessori for dementia has been shown to be extremely effective in allowing the person to reconnect to a world in which they are losing access.
2023
The Need For More Memory Care Suites
In late 2022 21 skilled nursing suites started being converted to memory care suites and opened to residents in June 2023. This created two separate memory care areas in the Care Center, 28 suites downstairs and 21 suites upstairs. Both areas provide the same level of excellent care and engagement from our expert team members.
2023
FTJ Missions Expands with Beacon and Lighthouse Senior Centers
In a mutual agreement with the City of Tacoma, Franke Tobey Jones started operating Beacon and Lighthouse Senior Centers starting in July 2023 with great success. This gives Franke Tobey Jones the ability to live their mission and serve even more seniors in the greater Tacoma area.
2024
Franke Tobey Jones Rated One of the Best
To provide people looking for CCRCs a comprehensive resource for decision making, Statista and Newsweek partnered for the first time in 2023 to rank the leading CCRCs in the US. Franke Tobey Jones has been named on Newsweek’s list of 2024 America’s Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities, ranking #94 in the U.S. and #3 in Washington State.
2024
Centennial Celebration
In the fall of 2023 seven residents met with the FTJ Sr. Director of Marketing to embark on a journey to discover the remarkable history and amazing stories encompassing a century of Franke Tobey Jones legacy.
2024 and Beyond
What Does the Future Hold for FTJ?
As we look ahead to the next 100 years, Franke Tobey Jones remains steadfast in our commitment to provide compassionate, high-quality care that enriches the lives of seniors and their families.
Introduction 1924 Looking Back Booklet Resident and Team member Stories In the Media Centennial Video 100 Years, 100 Stories Book FTJ Day in Tacoma Join the Circle
