Leland and Opal Peck Memorial Garden

At Eaton Community Palliative Care

The Peck Memorial Garden was made 
possible by a generous donation from
Dick and Jan Wendorf.

A couple of years ago, we were blessed with a tremendous gift of over 12 acres of property (adjoining our Hospice House property) from Dick and Jan Wendorf. Wendorf’s have now completed the Memorial Garden, created and dedicated in memory of Leland and Opal Peck of Eaton Rapids. There truly are not enough words to thank the Wendorf’s for this gift that will keep on giving with its beauty and peaceful setting. It will offer solace to countless Hospice patients and their families.
The garden has many concrete pathways, a wheel chair accesible gazebo, and a pond viewing deck. The major focal point to the garden is a large pond with a magnificent fountain.

When you are in the Charlotte area, you must stop at the Hospice House to take a walk in this peaceful, flower-filled memorial garden to truly comprehend its beauty and grandeur.

It’s really hard to know where to begin. Saturday, June 6th we celebrated the dedication of the Leland and Opal Peck Memorial Garden. This breathtaking gift was made possible by Dick and Jan Wendorf of Mason & Florida.

This story really began nearly 14 years ago when Jan’s dad, Harb Orr, was a Hospice patient and I helped coordinate his care at his home. Then, two and a half years ago, I got another call from Jan. Her elderly cousin was very sick. He was in his 90’s and didn’t believe in doctors. She wanted to know what to do. His name was Leland Peck. I made a visit to his home and we discussed how to get a doctor involved. Jan scheduled a home visit with the Visiting Physicians the following week. Well by Sunday morning, Jan called me and said, “we can’t do this anymore.” We had just had a death at the Hospice House, but the bed was already spoken for and the fact of the matter was Mr. Peck didn’t have a doctor to write orders.

To make a long story short, the patient waiting for the bed changed their mind so that meant Mr. Peck could have the bed. When I spoke to the doctor of the patient who had just died, I said, “Oh by the way, would you be agreeable to assume the care of Mr. Peck. I need a doctor to write orders and scripts.” The doctor agreed, so we were able to get Mr. Peck in that morning to the Hospice House and when Dick and Jan arrived later, he was pain free and resting comfortably. After Leland passed, Jan asked me to meet them for lunch one day. She asked about our program, what our goals for the future were and was amazed that we didn’t charge. She was sure there was something she could do to help us out.

Later that spring, she called me and said she would like to create a Memorial Garden for the patients and their families. I said, “there’s just one problem, we don’t own any land or the pond.” She said, “is it for sale?” I said I would check. By the end of the summer, they had bought the twelve and a half acres of property that adjoins our Hospice House and donated it to Hospice.

Now, not only do we have the most magnificent Memorial Garden, but also we have enough property for more Hospice Houses, thanks to the Wendorfs.

The Peck Memorial Garden was dedictaed June 6, 2009.

The Peck Memorial Garden was made possible by a generous donation from
Dick and Jan Wendorf.
The memorial garden is in memory of Leland and Opal Peck.
The memorial garden was dedicated June 6, 2009
Photo: Jan Wendorf and Margaret Kyser.
Dedication Plaque
The date reflects the year that the donation was made. It took a year to complete the memorial garden.
The focal point to the memorial garden is a wheel chair accessable gazebo. 
A viewing deck of the pond is on the right.
The large pond which is part of the memorial garden.
There is a seating area on the opposite side of the pond.
A seating area next to the gazebo.
One of the many floral areas in the memorial garden.