For the Love of Friendship

Two friendships involving Trinity, one older and one newer, brought the song “Make New Friends, But Keep the Old” to mind. This song, written from a poem by Joseph Parry (1841-1903), began like this: “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other’s gold.”

First, the “silver” friendship: Sharon Heimbuch and Barbara Jarshaw live in the same building (and only two doors away currently) but when Barb was initially searching for a place to live in Mason City, she saw Sharon on a promotional video on Prairie Place’s website. She laughed and told Sharon, “I knew you online before ever meeting you!”

Originally from Indiana, Barb has been a VISTA volunteer in the Virgin Islands and Alaska. “I had a heart for taking care of people,” she explained. “I’m just a born volunteer. I’m a simple person and I happened to be there at the right time.” She also worked in a Washington D.C. children’s hospital and “floated around” to other medical jobs. The children’s hospital asked Barb how she felt about weighing babies, and although she had never done it before, she answered affirmatively.

After her experience working in medical jobs, Barb changed gears and helped with a refugee settlement in San Francisco, and later in Los Angeles and Walnut Creek, CA. Barb and her husband then made their way to Mason City. Barb moved into Prairie Place while her husband was at Good Shepherd, and they both worshiped at Good Shepherd for the years that he was there.

Sharon was one of the first people to move into Prairie Place and has been comfortable making the transition moving into town from her farm place. When Barb started attending Trinity, she had Sharon as her sponsor, and when the weather deemed it easier to drive than walk to church, Sharon started driving to Trinity and offered Barb a ride.

The two became fast friends, due to Trinity and Prairie Place. Of course, only minutes after talking to these two, their love of joking became apparent. “We aren’t really friends,” Barb said with a straight face. “We tolerate each other!” The moment was broken with laughter from both parties.

From their beginnings in their jobs to their love of people, these two friends have a lot in common. A member of Trinity for around 60 years, Sharon is known to most as a beloved retired music teacher. The strange thing about this is Sharon was an English teacher, and when the administration in Mason City asked if she could teach music, she answered a resounding “YES!” before she knew what she was saying.
She learned how to play the guitar, taught her students how to play, and treated each student with respect as she instilled a love of music in them.  “My kids felt safe in my room,” she said. This English teacher turned into a music teacher, and played to each student’s strengths. A favorite quote of hers still remains: “The forest would be too quiet if only the birds with the prettiest song would sing.” She mentioned, “We all have gifts,” and one of her gifts is teaching students how to use theirs.

Barb is proud of her friend and her love of music. “I’ve got a teacher friend who knows all about music!” she exclaimed. “I learn so much just by traveling around with her.” Barb mentioned that it’s tough to move and find good friends like Sharon. When moving to a different area, Barb said she remembers thinking, “I don’t know how the state works, or how the community works.” Since people in California had their own way of doing things and had different values than Iowans did, it was difficult to move to another area. “Life is funny,” she said. “I landed here…happily!”

What are the favorite aspects of each of these “silver friends?” Sharon said that Barb’s gift is seeing what people need to have done and helping them do it. “Many of us say, ‘I’m going to do this or that but never get around to it…and Barb DOES! I’m astounded with her follow-through!”

Barb’s favorite thing about Sharon is that “she listens well!” Barb also complimented Sharon on paying attention to ALL of her students and incorporating different cultures and their music into her classroom. “I’ll stick with her!” Barb laughed. What a wonderful friendship they have, sharing an affinity for where they live, where they go to church, and a strong love of people.

Next, the “gold” friendship: Marilyn Lind and Norma Matheson have not only been members at Trinity for around 60 years, but they’ve been fast friends as well. Both women moved to Mason City as their husbands’ teaching careers brought them here. Marilyn moved from Nashua and Norma from Waverly. Each couple chose Trinity as their home church without visiting anywhere else.

Why? Connections galore! Marion Erickson was Norma’s sister, and Paul Charlson is her cousin. Marilyn knew the Ericksons, and she said, “When Norma came to town, I already felt like I knew her!”

Their younger years saw Marilyn and Norma attending things like “Mothers Club” which met in the Trinity Lounge (now the Trinity Library) on Monday nights. Discussions among mothers who had a chance to get out of the house while their husbands took care of the kids were priceless.

Another chance to get together (but this time with the kids) was Sewing Group, according to Marilyn. She laughed and pointed out to Norma, “And you didn’t even sew!” The two women’s children went to Sugar Plum preschool at Trinity, of course, where Colleen Dutcher was the teacher. Trinity played a large part in all of their family’s lives.

“We were also in Bridge Club (for just women) and 500 Club (for couples),” added Marilyn. Norma nodded and both friends enjoyed reminiscing over precious memories of each group.

Both Marilyn and Norma were busy with social events for faculty wives as well as raising their families. Marilyn worked at The Dahl House in Southbridge Mall for 8 years until the store closed, and then worked at Roberts Clothes of Charm for another 8 years, retiring when she was 62 to travel and see her kids all over the country.

Norma worked at 4 Mason City schools as a librarian for 20 years. “There used to be nine schools in town with nine librarians!” she exclaimed. Even though each of the women were busy with jobs and family, they took time to keep up the friendship. They were in Birthday Club for years, and went out for breakfast after church with 6 other couples. “And now there’s just you left,” Marilyn said.

Marilyn also said that four couples went on biking trips in the fall to Lanesboro, MN for years. “That was the most fun we ever had!” Norma exclaimed. Besides following the Root River trail, the couples stayed at unique places such as The Jailhouse Inn and enjoyed food of all kinds…especially at a “special pie place!”

“If Norma wants to do it, I will!” Marilyn said, smiling at her friend of six decades. Since each of them moved to Mason City from towns close in proximity, they had some mutual friends. All of the couples met in Chanhassen, MN for several years. Their shared friendship found more connections all the time.

Just as conversations with old friends tend to do, the reminiscing and recollections also turned to other events they remembered. “Remember being in the Red Hat Society together? There were about six or seven of us and we’d go different places,” Marilyn said. “And Branson! We went down to Branson together!” added Norma. And one more recent thing happens every Friday morning…coffee together at Three on the Tree. “We can really make plans, can’t we?” Marilyn laughed.

Why has this friendship lasted so long? Norma says that Marilyn “is always gung-ho and ready-to-go! She’s so enthusiastic!” Marilyn shared, “It’s fun to be with Norma. It’s always a joy!” Both women stress having positive attitudes about life and making the best of each day. For a friendship that has lasted as long as their Trinity membership has, these two women know what it takes to not only be a friend, but to keep a friend and hold her in high regard.†