A $1 million gift will launch a multi-phase, multi-year renovation project for the main building at Maryville.
The donors, Elsie Franz Finley and her brother, the late Robert W. Franz, made the gift after Elsie Franz Finley spent time with a friend who received care at Maryville. Elsie Franz Finley said she hopes the gift will “lighten Maryville and brighten the lives of its residents and the staff members who provide such superb care.”
Tricia Blood, executive director of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Foundation, said, “The gift was made in recognition of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and their compassionate care for the elderly and infirm at Maryville.”
Founded in 1963, Maryville provides 24-hour long-term skilled nursing care, short-term physical rehabilitation, and memory care for those with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
The donation is the largest individual gift in Maryville history and the second-largest individual gift to the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and their sponsored ministries in the 132-year history of the Sisters’ Community.
Maryville Administrator Kathleen Parry said, “Their generosity will allow us to begin the process of renovating the main building where our residents live and welcome their families and friends.”
In addition to internal enhancements in residents’ rooms, hallways, and gathering areas, the project is expected to include a “porte cochere” at the front of the building. The roofed structure will allow residents to arrive and leave under cover and out of the rain and other inclement weather. Because the renovations will take place while Maryville is occupied, the project will require multiple phases over multiple years.
Parry added, “Everything that we do at Maryville is for the women and men who live here – whether they are staying with us for a short time – or making Maryville their home.”
While painting, flooring, and general repairs have taken place as rooms temporarily become vacant, it has been approximately 15 years since significant renovations took place in Maryville’s main building. Since that time, Maryville has added a memory care unit (2011) and a unit offering high-quality short-term physical rehabilitation (2015).
Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Ministries Corporation President Sister Adele Marie Altenhofen praisedthe family for their generosity. “We are very grateful to Elsie and Bob for embracing this opportunity to make a substantial difference in the lives of the women and men who call Maryville home,” she said.
She added, “They have made a lasting impact – not only at Maryville but throughout the Portland metro region – enhancing thousands of lives through their dedicated support of Catholic ministries.”
For more than 55 years, Maryville has consistently been a top-rated, regionally recognized care facility, honored by the Oregon Patient Safety Commission. Maryville has 181 beds, including 16 for memory care and 52 for clients seeking short-term physical rehabilitation.
