Traverse City Record-Eagle

Stephanie Beach: Northern Notes

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June 26, 2011

Northern Notes: Kindness knows no season

By STEPHANIE BEACH Local columnist

James Candea worked for D.H. Baker Dental Lab for six years. He enjoyed his work and his co-workers and respected the business’ reputation for excellence, but James and his wife, Linda, of Kingsley, didn’t realize how dear those co-workers were until they supported the couple during a number of crises.

In February 2010, the couple’s daughter, Tanya Walling, died. Tanya suffered from Angelman Syndrome and was severely mentally impaired, but was her parents’ baby for 36 years.

“The people at Baker Lab were so full of compassion and prayers for us,” Linda wrote. “It was amazing.”

In September 2010, Jim was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and his co-workers from the lab again stepped up. When he came home, the men from the lab came and helped prepare the Candeas’ home for winter.

Jim suffered a setback just after Thanksgiving that resulted in another hospital stay. When news that he was supposed to come home reached the people at Baker Lab, they hurried over to the couple’s Kingsley home with a live Christmas tree and all the decorations. They brought a hospital bed up from the basement and plowed the driveway.

“Sadly, Jim never saw the surprise,” Linda wrote. “He died on Dec. 11, 2010. The funeral home overflowed with dental lab people, which was so comforting to me.”

But the kindness didn’t stop there. Jim’s co-workers continued to shovel the driveway and the handicapped ramp after every storm. They decided to forgo their Christmas party and instead gave some of the money to Linda and some to another family with medical problems.

“I just want these people to know how much they mean to me and how thankful I am for all of them,” Linda wrote.

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The Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center would like to thank all the event sponsors, tee/green sponsors, donors of prizes or gifts and volunteers for making the fifth annual Child Abuse Prevention Golf Outing in May so successful.

“A special thank you to everyone who came out to golf and thank you to the staff at The Crown Golf Club in Traverse City for their friendly professionalism,” outing organizers wrote.



Stephanie Beach can be reached at sbeach@record-eagle.com.

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