HCMCF’s featured resident “chef” for the month of May was Charlene Hickman. Charlene is native to Oklahoma but recently moved to Michigan to be closer to her daughter, Andra Shier, who is the Assistant Dining Services Director at HCMCF.
With the help of her daughter, Charlene shared two of the recipes that she was famous for within her family, Apple Pandowdy and her Broccoli Cheesy Rice Casserole. The Pandowdy happens to be Andra’s favorite dessert. Charlene taught her daughter, Andra, all her cooking skills. She also shared the love and passion for creating in the kitchen, just as Charlene’s mother, Stella Hickman taught her. All the women in the Hickman family have shared many recipes in local cookbooks. Stella even cooked for “the seniors” at her local meal site up until the age of 85. It is because of this shared heritage that Andra enjoys working in the kitchen today and creating delicious desserts and decorated cakes.
While the residents sampled her recipes, Andra and Charlene shared family stories and keepsakes. A picture board filled with photos of Charlene was also shared. The keepsakes that Charlene brought included two Quilts handmade by Charlene’s mother, Stella and a family ring. Creative homemaking skills were passed down thru the family. Charlene’s mother, Stella was known for her quilting and knitting talent and she made many of the grandbabies and great grandbabies quilts and blankets. Charlene’s sewing skills were so impressive that most couldn’t tell whether it was designer or handmade. Charlene sewed many outfits for her daughters including several prom and banquet dresses, FHA sweetheart gowns and Andra’s wedding dress. She could look at several different dress designs and create the dress that her girls dreamed of without any patterns needed. She had a knack for procrastination however, and was often finishing many outfits just in the nick of time. Andra even shared a wedding picture of her mother still sewing her bridal veil just before Andra walked down the aisle.
The story behind the family heirloom ring was also shared. Charlene’s grandmother, Bessie, was given the ring in 1918 when she was 17 years old as a gift for tending to the family and farm while her parents were gone for a period of time. When Bessie had a daughter, Stella, she gave the ring to her when Stella turned 17. Stella had one daughter, Charlene to whom the ring was passed down to. Charlene ended up having two daughters and decided to have the ring split in two and gave half to each daughter when they turned 17. When it was time for Andra to pass the ring to her daughter she added birthstones of each of the women who have owned the ring, along with a handwritten story of the family ring.
The residents enjoyed hearing Charlene’s stories and seeing her keepsakes but the one who enjoyed walking down memory lane the most was Charlene herself!
Andra Shier| Assistant Director of Dining Services | Huron County Medical Care Facility