Residents’
Review
December 2017
Volume 30, Issue 12
Citizens Memorial Healthcare Facility is an affiliate of CMH, Bolivar, Mo., 417-326-6000
Facility Location: 1218 West Locust, Bolivar, MO 65613, 417-326-7648
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Resident of the Month 1
Activity Photos 2
Employee Spotlight 3
Announcements 4
Calendar of Events 5
Birthdays 6
New Residents 6
Discharges 6
Sympathy 6
Our Mission
Caring for every generation
through exceptional services by
leading physicians and a
compassionate healthcare team.
Our Vision
Be the first choice for customer
focused healthcare to every
generation.
Our Values
I am...
P ositive
R espectful
I nnovative
D edicated
E mpowered
Together, we are CMH PRIDE!
Retha Wright,
Resident of the Month
Retha was born in Bolivar, Mo., to Ira and Elsie Landreth July
9, 1935, and is the middle child of three kids with one brother
and sister. Retha grew up around Bolivar, going to school in ei-
ther the Northside or Southside School. Her favorite subject was
English, she just liked everything about it. Retha also played the
cymbals in her school “Stage” band, which was really interesting
because they got to play at games and she got to play in the
Springfield Christmas parade. After she graduated high school,
she went to work as a waitress for a while, and then for South-
west Electric Cooperative as a receptionist. Retha saved up
enough money to buy her first car, a 1948 Plymouth. “It wasn’t
anything fancy, but it was a good car that got me back and forth,
and I bought it myself,” she said.
While she worked at REA she met Bob Wright. Retha was
getting her driver’s license, and he was getting his license renewed after his had expired
while in the services. It was set up where you went to the main office to apply for your li-
cense, and then you went to one of two different locations to take the driving test. Retah saw
Bob at the first office and later he told her, “I saw you when you walked in the door and just
had to meet you.” Anyway, she went to one location and he had gone to the other for the
driving test. When he realized she wasn’t at the same location he was, he went to the other
location so he could see her again. Retha was there so he went up to her and they started
talking. It was a Saturday so he asked her out and she told him she already had a date that
night, so he asked her out for Sunday night, and she accepted. “He showed up at her house in
a suit and tie,” she said. Well, less than a year later, they were married. The couple waited
almost six years before starting a family, so they could travel.
While Bob was in the services he traveled to Europe. After he was out, Bob, Retha and a
buddy Bob was stationed with and his wife returned to the places they were stationed at.
While in England, at the base, the group met a someone and they started talking about time
frames they were stationed there, and it turned out the guy was the barber on base and had
been the one that cut their hair. “It was interesting to visit with them about those times,” Re-
tha stated.
Retha and Bob had two sons, Bobby and Brent, five grandchildren, and one great-
granddaughter. The couple lived around Aldridge, Mo., where they rented a house. When the
owners of the house asked them if they were interested in buying the house, they did. After
her husband passed away six years ago, the land was divided and handed down to her sons.
Bobby now lives in Kansas City and Brent still lives in Aldridge.
Retha has been a part of the CMHCF family since Aug. 2017. She enjoys reading mystery
and history books, playing bingo, meeting new people and sharing space with her roommate.
Congratulations Retha, on being resident of the month.