X
About Us

Senior Living News & Events

Emma Neights and Nelly Petersen once shared the same last name, Beierle, and are sisters by blood, but even more importantly, they share an immense bond and lasting friendship.

Born in the country now known as Moldova only years before World War II, Emma and Nelly were forced to grow up quickly and to take care of each other. “I never had a childhood,” Emma chuckles. 

With a quiet disregard for their childhood heroism, the sisters recount stories like watching Nazis take their dad from their barn to join a war he didn’t support.

The sisters didn’t want to leave their home in Moldova and cried as they and their mother fled on foot for safety. Later, on board a ship on the Dunabe River, Emma was so close to jumping off that a stranger had to grab her and pull her to safety.

“I remember holding hands, my mother carrying a baby, walking across the ice-covered river fleeing,” Nelly shared.

They lived as refugees in multiple countries, once wearing the same clothes for two straight months while traveling by wagon and sometimes pouring kerosene on their heads to remove lice. At one point in their journeys, Nelly got so lost that soldiers found her and returned her to her mother. They even spent a year living in a room flanked with bunk beds in an Austrian castle – a resettlement camp – where their sister, Ritta, was born.

Despite these hardships, even war-torn childhoods have bright spots, like chasing rabbits, charging into the ocean side by side, and experiencing the fierce love of family. When Russians captured Emma and Nelly’s father as a prisoner of war, he escaped, set out hunting for his wife and children, and eventually reunited with his family!

After four years of vetting, the Beierles immigrated to the United States through a worldwide church organization. By then young women, the sisters taught themselves English with a dictionary and notebook and later became U.S. Citizens. “It is a privilege to live in the United States,” Emma says.

A lifetime of experiences have created a bond like no other between Emma and Nelly.

Even as adults, when Nelly lived over 3,000 miles away in Alaska, they kept in touch by writing letters and visiting each other as often as possible.

After the passing of her husband, Nelly wanted to move closer to family and decided on Chapel Pointe. For years, Emma had been telling her all about Chapel Pointe and how she and her husband, Gary, loved the caring staff, friendly neighbors, Christian atmosphere, and overall security and support of the Chapel Pointe family.

Less than a year after Nelly moved to her new apartment, Gary passed away. “Especially now that both of our husbands are gone, it is nice to have each other so close,” Emma said. They typically eat at least one meal together every day. They also have found company and comfort among other widows at Chapel Pointe. “We are in this together. We understand each other.”

The sisters enjoy walking, shopping nearby, visiting with neighbors, playing cards and games with friends, making applesauce from local apples, and living off their gardens at Chapel Pointe as much as possible. Two of their favorite garden recipes are pickled beets and zucchini bread. “We don’t waste anything; we just grew up that way,” Nelly said.

Whether running away from terror or taking steps toward hope, Emma and Nelly have forged a bond that prevails above all else. At Chapel Pointe, they continue their journey side-by-side, expanding their sisterhood to the widows around them, and taking every opportunity to live the vibrant lives for which God created them.

About the Author

Related

A Vision for the Future: Growing with Purpose

A Vision for the Future: Growing with Purpose

Chapel Pointe’s master plan is shaping the future of senior living in Carlisle—expanding care opti...

Read More >
Chapel Pointe’s Newest Service Wins Best of Cumberland County

Chapel Pointe’s Newest Service Wins Best of Cumberland County

Chapel Pointe’s supporters knocked our socks off by selecting Chapel Pointe at Home as the bes...

Read More >
Signs It’s Time To Leave Your Downsized Home for Senior Living

Signs It’s Time To Leave Your Downsized Home for Senior Living

Downsizing your home for retirement has many benefits. However, it’s often only a short-term soluti...

Read More >

In The News: Chapel Pointe to build new townhome community

Updated Apr 17; Posted Apr 17By Daniel Urie durie@pennlive.comA Carlisle re...

Read More >
How to Overcome Loneliness During the Holidays: A Guide for Seniors

How to Overcome Loneliness During the Holidays: A Guide for Seniors

For many seniors, holidays can trigger intense loneliness. Learn how to relieve holiday loneliness a...

Read More >
ALEXA AND APPS AND SMART HOMES, OH MY!

ALEXA AND APPS AND SMART HOMES, OH MY!

Not all residents at the continuing care retirement community Chapel Pointe at Carlisle are using te...

Read More >

Stay up to date with everything happening at Chapel Pointe by completing the form below.

Name

  • The Alliance
  • LeadingAge PA
  • Best of Cumberland County 2024 Winner
  • Action Pact