At 95 years old, Robert Kramer has lived a life full of adventure and love. Born in Washburn, Iowa, in 1930, he spent his first two years of school in a one-room schoolhouse. At the age of 20, with the Korean War looming, he enlisted in the Navy. He served from 1950 to 1954 as an electronics technician aboard the USS Cowell DD547, which provided carrier escort duties in Korea.
During his time in the military, Robert had the opportunity to visit many countries around the world, including Japan, Egypt, Greece, France, and Algeria. (Later, he would travel even more with his first and second wives to places like Peru, Costa Rica, and the National Parks in the US and Canada.)
He spent most of his career in the Nuclear Power industry, which took him to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. He was married to his college sweetheart, Mary, for 38 years before she passed away in 1998. During their marriage, they had five children—four boys and one girl.
Robert was lucky enough to find love again, this time with Clare, a friend and widow, whom he married in 2001. Unfortunately, Clare developed Alzheimer's in 2012, and when it became too much to keep her home, he and her kids started looking for a place where she would be well-taken care of and safe, and where Robert could also make his home.
“In 2021, we looked at different places that would meet our needs, and Traditions of Mill Creek was the one we chose,” he says. “It offered all three services—Assisted Living, Independent Living, and Memory Care—under one roof.”
This was important to Robert, who wanted to make sure he could visit Clare and help care for her on a daily basis. “We've been together for almost 25 years now, and I just don't want to give her up,” he says. While Robert is in the Independent Living part of the community, Clare is in the Memory Care unit.
In addition to spending time with his wife, he also enjoys playing music for the other residents at Traditions of Mill Creek. He has always loved music and, over the years, has learned to play the accordion, saxophone, sousaphone, and piano.
Model building, which he has pursued since his youth, is another one of his interests, and to this day, he continues to apply his skills. The facility allowed him to convert a storage room into a woodworking shop and store all of his tools there. “I can spread out a plan and work on it and not have to pick it up and put it away every time I stop working,” says Robert. “It's a nice little room with two tables in it.” It's actually available to other residents as well.
Here, he builds ships, airplanes, and trains. While most of the models stay in his room, he sometimes puts them on display at the center. Now, he is finishing up a special chair that he can use for his musical performances. “It's a folding chair that converts into a handcart, and that way I can carry the accordion to where I’m playing and then open the chair to sit. It has no arms and is the right height.”
Staying active, both mentally and physically, is essential to Robert. “If you don't use it, you lose it,” he says. “I play bridge a couple of times a week, there’s a Sit and Be Fit class available five times a week, and there is also musical entertainment. I've gotten to know some of the performers, and I've actually performed a couple of numbers with them.”
The other residents, he says, are friendly, and the staff is very attentive. He’s happy to be in a place that allows him to be with his wife, have friends, stay engaged, and continue the hobbies and interests he has enjoyed for most of his life.
Traditions of Mill Creek, located in Brentwood, is a premier senior living community offering maintenance-free living, chef-prepared meals, salons, transportation, and a full activities calendar. For those who are able, shopping and grocery stores are within walking distance.
For residents needing a higher level of care, its Memory Care unit offers specialized dementia and Alzheimer’s care and comfort within a secure environment. Its dedicated team of professionals and nurses provides care with the highest degree of respect and professionalism.
To find out more about the community or take a tour, call or visit their website.
615-375-3550
VitalitySeniorLiving.com/Senior-Living-Locations/Tennessee/Traditions-of-Mill-Creek
“It offered all three services—Assisted Living, Independent Living, and Memory Care…”
“If you don't use it, you lose it.”