The Waters of White Bear Lake Hosts its First Wedding
June 24, 2023
One of the most exciting times in a couple’s life is their wedding day, but for Gary Furrer and his fiancée, Rhonda, the day was bittersweet. Gary’s other mother, his stepmother, Judy, has been given just a few months to live by her doctor. She has terminal lung cancer.
Judy’s stepson and his bride-to-be wanted her to be able to participate in the wedding, so they asked staff at The Waters of White Bear Lake—where Gary’s parents, Paul and Judy, live—if they could host the wedding. “We, of course, said yes,” said Rachel Staven, Executive Director of The Waters of White Bear Lake.
The first wedding ever to be held at The Waters of White Bear Lake, located at 3820 Hoffman Road, White Bear Lake, MN 55110, happened during the evening of Friday, June 23, 2023. Beginning around 5:30 p.m., about 100 guests—friends and family of the wedding couple—arrived at the community to help the happy couple celebrate.
The wedding ceremony was held on the community’s patio with a reception after in the café.
“Judy played an active role in the planning of the wedding,” said Staven. “She is still pretty talkative and cognitively able, so she was directing us on what to do.” In addition to helping with the planning of the event, The Waters of White Bear Lake provided the venue and the catering, as well as the setup and teardown.
“We are so delighted to be able to play a role in making this important life event as magical as possible for our residents, their friends and family,” added Staven.
Judy Nelsen Furrer and Paul Furrer have been married for 51 years. Judy grew up on Hoffman Road, the same Hoffman Road The Waters of White Bear Lake is located along today.
