Donation is Inspired by Love Story

In January, Jamie Hull presented a check to Hospice Care Plus for $10,000 in memory of Dee and Frank Jezek, her parents.

Dee and Frank Jezek, taken for their 70th wedding anniversary.

The story of how the donation came to be is ultimately a love story.

“They would still hold hands when they walked,” says their daughter Jamie. “It was one of those old-fashioned love stories. My father would not have given this money if he didn’t appreciate the care you gave my mom. It was the best care. It was so appreciated, he wanted to make sure everyone knew that and that you were rewarded for the care you gave her.”

Frank and Dee were married for 74 years when Dee died in April 2023 at our Compassionate Care Center after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. Jamie remembers a special moment her parents shared just before Dee’s death.

“Dad was there every day,” Jamie says. On one day not long before Dee died, Jamie shares that “she was pretty much unresponsive. I had always heard . . . that there are these lucid moments before, so they can say the things they want to say . . . She woke up once and recognized my dad, and she said, ‘I love you.’ He bawled.”

Frank and Dee were so close, Jamie knew she would lose her father soon after. He lived six more months.

Before he died, Frank worked on donating $10,000 to Hospice Care Plus in Dee’s memory. When he knew he might not live to see it through, he partnered with trusted staff from Edward Jones, Amber Middleton and Paula Billups, to make arrangements.

Jamie Hull with a painting completed by her mother Dee, which is now on display at the Compassionate Care Center. Next to it is a memorial plaque for Dee and Frank. Left to right: Jamie Hull; Amber Middleton, Financial Advisor with Edward Jones; Paula Billups, Edward Jones Branch Office Administrator; and Lisa Cox, Hospice Care Plus CEO.

“Just have it in both our memories,” he said. “But, put her name first. I want it known that it was because of her and the care she got. My care, I don’t care. But her care . . . it meant so much to me.”

We had the honor of caring for Frank as well. He died in October 2023. He specifically asked to come to the Compassionate Care Center.

When Jamie presented the donation in January, she shared that Frank’s wish was that we put it to use where it was most needed.

“He didn’t care how you used it, as long as you used it,” Jamie says. “That’s your decision to make. It’s a gift to you.”

Although Jamie is still grieving the loss of her parents, she says she is comforted by knowing they had a wonderful life together.

“They lived a long time. My dad was 94 and my mom was 93. They lived good lives. They saw a lot of the world. They retired young,” she says.

Making sure Frank’s wishes are honored is also helping her cope with her loss. She drove to Michigan, where Frank and Dee lived until they moved to Kentucky with Jamie, and where they raised their family. There, she carried out Frank’s wish to donate to an animal shelter. He had a beloved dog named Stud. She also honored another wish Frank, a veteran, had expressed involving the VFW post where he used to spend time.

He wanted her “to go to the VFW and buy everyone drinks on him on Tuesday night, when the cribbage group is there,” Jamie says.

Jamie views Dee and Frank’s memorial brick on the Center’s memorial walkway. Left to right: Lisa Cox, Hospice Care Plus CEO; Stefanie Manes, Development Coordinator; Jamie Hull; Amber Middleton, Edward Jones Financial Advisor; and Paula Billups, Edward Jones Branch Office Administrator.

When asked why she feels comfortable sharing the story of her family’s $10,000 donation, Jamie shared a memory from the day her mother died.

“By the time we got there (Frank and Jamie), it was all set up. Mom had a nice, clean nightgown on, her hair was combed, this beautiful quilt was pulled up, and the lanterns were lit,” she remembers. “When you see that . . . this is the last memory you have, the last memory I’m going to have of my mother, and it’s a pleasant memory . . . I want to make sure everyone else knows and wants to donate as well.”

We want to thank Jamie Hull for honoring her father’s wishes. With Jamie’s permission, the donation has been added to our general fund, where it will help support installation of a new HVAC system that is urgently needed for the Compassionate Care Center. We are proud to use the donation to make sure the Center remains a peaceful, comfortable place for families at a difficult time, and to do so in Dee and Frank’s memories.

To contribute to the general fund in support of the urgently needed HVAC system replacement, visit our secure online donation site or contact us at 859-986-1500 or hospice@hospicecp.org.

Hospice Care Plus was founded as a non-profit organization to support the quality of life of its communities through hospice, palliative, and bereavement care programs. The organization serves Estill, Jackson, Lee, Madison, Owsley, and Rockcastle counties and owns and operates the Compassionate Care Center in Richmond. Relying on contributions from individuals and groups, all care is provided regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Make a gift, explore career and volunteer opportunities, or call 859-986-1500 to learn more.