Alive Hospice volunteer Gretchen Sakkinen is reflected in a mirror with the painting she created with Alive Hospice patient Lula Estes as her teacher.

From Alive Hospice’s recently released 2008 Annual Report:

Mrs. Lula Estes viewed the world through the eyes of an artist, immortalizing great beauty with brushstrokes and palettes of vibrant colors. She was a professional portrait artist who had a way with painting children, not to mention landscapes and water scenes.

The artist displayed her work in her home, and it was there that Alive Hospice volunteer Gretchen Sakkinen came into her life. On their first visit, Sakkinen was struck by the painter’s artistry and engaged her in a conversation about her work. Mrs. Estes “lit up” as they talked about painting, Sakkinen recalled, and offered to give her a lesson. On their next visit, Sakkinen brought a canvas and paints.

Selecting a portrait she had painted in years past, Mrs. Estes guided Sakkinen as she applied color to the blank canvas to reproduce the artist’s work in her own way. Becoming Mrs. Estes’ student was a special way Sakkinen could bring joy to the artist, who was no longer able to paint herself. Through Sakkinen, Mrs. Estes was again able to create in the medium that she so loved.

“At that point in her life, it was so meaningful,” said Mrs. Estes’ granddaughter, Cyndie Carter. “Just being able to show her where she would put things and having Gretchen paint it, it was almost like a completion of herself. All of a sudden, Gretchen was her hand.”

By the end of their lesson, Sakkinen earned her teacher’s praise.

“I’ll never forget it,” Sakkinen said of the experience.

Touched by the kindness she had shown, Mrs. Estes’ family invited Sakkinen to attend her funeral. She had been a comfort to Mrs. Estes, Carter said, and through her presence, she was also a comfort to those she held dear.

“Gretchen was as close to an angel as you can get,” Carter said.

To view additional stories from Alive Hospice’s 2008 Annual Report, click here.