Mary Alice Newcomer, 102, has lived at the P.E.O. Home in Beatrice for about 10 years.
She has been a member of the PEO for 80 years. She takes pride in the home and living there.
Sept. 1, 2023 was the beginning of the 85th anniversary of the Beatrice P.E.O. Home.
Three centurions live in the home. The average age of the women is 96 years old.
“People get real excited when they hear that I’m that old,” she said.
She provided a tour of each level of the home with Rose Fetty to provide history.
The land where the home sits was originally owned by Daniel Freeman. The house was built in 1880 for J.E. Smith for a total of $62,000. In 1904 R.J. Kilpatrick purchased the home. At his death in 1931, it was willed to J. Stewart Eliot. Eliot had been a child the Kilpatrick family took in after the passing of his parents. Years later, Eliot and his wife later gave the stately mansion to the Nebraska P.E.O. Chapter to be used as a retirement home for members.
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The home has been remodeled throughout time. The steeple and the third floor, which was a ball room and maid’s quarters, were removed. Each room that has been remodeled was decorated to fit with the time period of the home.
P.E.O. was founded at Iowa Wesleyan University by seven women who wanted to help other women. It stands for philanthropic educational organization. There are only two P.E.O. homes in the United States now, although there had been others. There are 253 Nebraska Chapters of P.E.O. The sisterhood has awarded $414,633,107 to women furthering their education.
“There were other homes, but they were not able to stay solvent,” Fetty said. “We are so fortunate to be able to have a licensed assisted living facility. We have room for 20 residents.”
The family room was added after a donation from the Hughes family. It is used for exercise, Bible study groups, playing cards and watching television.
Newcomer made a replica of the P.E.O. Home for the 75th anniversary of the facility that sits in the main living room. The art is made from recycled materials.
“It’s all made of trash,” she said. “I added some Christmas pieces. I made the reindeer and they look a little like mosquitos, but they are reindeer.”
A concert grand piano usually sits in the main level, however, had been taken to be refurbished by Beatrice native Morgan Cowell. It was scheduled to be returned to the home in the fall.
A new hallway with an elevator was added to the home.
A yellow and white star patterned quilt hangs in the hallway of the home on the main floor. The quilt was made by Ruth McFall McDermand, Newcomers mother.
Newcomer explained that her mother had been initiated into a Lincoln chapter of the PEO in 1907 and was a devoted member for nearly 50 years in different chapters throughout the state. She designed, pieced and stitched the quilt finishing it in 1921.
Newcomer said she has a lot of letters her parents wrote to each other and has written several books on genealogy for family members. She has also written stories for her family.
“I’ve written stories about my husband for family members,” she said. “So many didn’t know Grandpa Joe and I wanted them to know him.”
She showed off her room which is a two-room suite.
Fetty said each of the rooms were different in the home.
“There are no two rooms alike,” she said.
Newcomer’s trash cottage dollhouse is set up in her room. The dollhouse has unique details in each of the rooms and is decorated on the outside.
“The most valuable boxes were toothpaste boxes,” she said. “The little butter cups started the whole thing. It looked like a little potty. It’s sitting on a button.”
“I don’t know how long it took to build this. I wasn’t working just playing. I wasn’t charging by the hour. It was just fun.”
Fetty and Newcomer noted the basement houses the library, a family living room, kitchenette and dining area. The storage with the original brick floor to the building remains intact and many photos of historical significance are located in the hallways.
Newcomer talked briefly about her personal history. She had been married almost 40 years to James Newcomer. They had two daughters and one son.
She noted that she was a Home Economics teacher and an Early Childhood Education Director. She also spent time teaching adult sewing.
“I loved working in early childhood education,” she said.
Newcomer had written an extensive article about the P.E.O. and the history. She said she was distressed that people thought the home was a retirement home for teachers.
“I just want people to know what we’re about,” she said. “We have so much history and want to keep the home going. We just need to let people know. I’m passionate about P.E.O. Home and am fortunate to be here. It was really hard to leave my home, but it was time.”
Fetty said people did not have to be P.E.O. member to live in the home but needs to have some affiliation, like a family member, to move into the home.
“There’s a priority for Nebraska P.E.O. members, but members from other states are welcome too,” she said.
Fetty is giving programs on the history of the P.E.O. as requested.
More information on the P.E.O. Home which is located at 413 N. 5th Street in Beatrice can be found at www.nebraskapeohome.org or by calling 402-228-4208. A copy of Mary Alice Newcomer’s article can be requested by calling the P.E.O. Home.
